GOVT 4421: Asian American Politics in Comparative Perspective

CCS is a collaborative multi-disciplinary project between UBC, SFU and community partners and students, which aims at reshaping the way we understand Canada, and reclaiming the forgotten histories of peoples long ignored in Canadian history.

This collection contains documents drawn from the fonds of the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association held in the University of Victoria Archives. Most items are handwritten in traditional Chinese script with English translations but there are also documents in English.

The Chinese Canadian Benevolent Association papers are also part of the Multicultural Canada collection.

Located on Vancouver Island on the west coast of British Columbia, Victoria’s Chinatown is the oldest in Canada, and one of the oldest in North America. Enter our website to find out about the historical origins, community development, and changing geography of Victoria’s Chinatown. This site also features organizations and individuals who made vital contributions to Canadian society and acted for change in Canada and China. You can explore a specific theme by clicking on one of the buttons below, or test your knowledge by taking the Chinatown Quiz.

The fonds and collections included here contain the records of Chinese Canadians, various associations by and for Chinese Canadians, and non-Asian creators whose records contain information relevant to the Chinese Canadian experience. They include the records of those who were/are composers, political figures, activists, writers, and businessmen, among other professions, in addition to multiple collections featuring materials from Chinese Canadian-owned businesses and documenting political upheavals.

Notable fonds include those of Won Cumyow, the first Chinese Canadian born in Canada (1861) and Thomas Whaun, the first Chinese Canadian graduate of the University of British Columbia (1927).

The fonds and collections included here contain the records of Chinese Canadians, various associations by and for Chinese Canadians, and non-Asian creators whose records contain information relevant to the Chinese Canadian experience. They include the records of those who were/are composers, political figures, activists, writers, and businessmen, among other professions, in addition to multiple collections featuring materials from Chinese Canadian-owned businesses and documenting political upheavals.

Notable fonds include those of Won Cumyow, the first Chinese Canadian born in Canada (1861) and Thomas Whaun, the first Chinese Canadian graduate of the University of British Columbia (1927).

The University of Toronto's East Asian Library strives to keep pace with the ever-expanding field of Asian Canadian Studies in Canada. With the generosity and support of local Asian Canadian community members, our holdings of archival materials and community publications have grown steadily over the years. Highlights include the most complete collection of writings and film documentaries by Chinese-Canadian professor, writer, director, filmmaker, and long-time East Asian Library supporter, Dr. Anthony B Chan, Japanese Canadian archival materials focusing on internment camps and the redress movement across Canada, and the Korean Canadian Heritage Archives Project developed in collaboration with UBC.