Chandavkl's Menuism Blog

 Based on presentation to the Chinese Historical Society of Southern California.   I am David R. Chan and it’s a pleasure being back to give another monthly presentation to the Chinese Historical Society of Southern California.    Now if you don’t remember my last presentation I don’t mind, since that was in 1980 when I gave an in-person presentation at the Castelar Street school meeting room entitled “A Post Card View of Chinatown,” showing old historic postcards of Los Angeles and other Chinatowns.      I am one of the charter members of CHSSC from 1975, in fact member number 8, previously served on the society’s the Society Board of Directors.   Also for several years I represented CHSSC in numerous public appearances on historical and contemporary aspects of Chinese Americans, including on CBS 2 television, then known as KNXT.     I also gave the keynote speech at the very first Asian Pacific American Heritage Week commemorati...

As you know my writings about Chinese food are inextricably tied to the history of the Chinese in the United States.  My early historical writings arose in an era which preceded the establishment of Asian American Studies as a recognized academic discipline.  My first article, my term paper in the first Asian American studies course ever offered at UCLA, and unassociated with any academic department, appeared in a community publication called Gidra in 1969. Gidra has since become recognized as a backbone of Asian American studies and hence  entire run is available online .  I followed my Gidra article up in 1972 with this broader and more polished look at the Chinese community in Los Angeles for the New York based Bridge Magazine.  Not being skilled enough in computer matters, I didn't know how to convert the article into easily readable text, and was forced to post the pages in picture format.  I know that makes it clunky to read, but at least it permits o...