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The Answers |
1.What is the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent
Association, New York?
The Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association (CCBA) was founded in 1883 to
serve and protect the interests of the Chinese people in New York City.
Historically it has performed a quasi-government role in the Chinese community,
so that the President of the CCBA is sometimes referred to as the "Mayor of
Chinatown."
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2. What are the functions of the CCBA?
Externally, we represent the Chinese-Americans living in the Greater New York
area. Internally, we are the hinges that keep the Chinese-American community
intact and vigorous. More specifically, we
· Provide social services
· Mediate personal and commercial disputes
· Preserve Chinese traditions and cultural heritage
· Serve as a bridge between Chinese and American groups
· Promote Chinese-American interests
· Engage in charitable activities
· Sponsor educational and recreational activities.
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3. Who are the members of your Association?
The Association is made up of 60 member organizations. They represent a
cross-section of the Chinese community in New York: fellow-provincial
organizations such as the Hoy Sun Ning Yeung Association and the Lin Sing
Association; clansmen organizations such as the Lee, Eng, or Chan Family
Association; political organizations such as the Kuo Min Tang (Nationalist
Party) Eastern Region Office; professional and trade organizations such as the
Chinese Chamber of Commerce and the Chinese American Restaurant Association; as
well as religious, cultural and women's organizations. In other words, the CCBA
is an umbrella organization.
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4. How is your Association President chosen or elected?
The Association President is elected by the CCBA General Assembly from among
the two candidates nominated by the Hoy Sun Ning Yeung Association and the Lin
Sing Association. The term is for two years and the President's position
alternates between candidates from the Hoy Sun Ning Yeung Association and the Lin
Sing Association. The President takes office on March 1st of even years.
This form of election has been practiced since 1922, because early Chinese
immigrants came predominantly from the county of Hoy Sun in Kwangtung Province,
while those from all other counties outside of Hoy Sun formed the Lin Sing
Association. In Chinese, Lin Sing denotes "united formation."
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5. How did your Association come into being?
The
Chinese presence in New York was noted since the clipper ship days. Some were
merchants and sailors. Others were transmigrants from Cuba, Peru, and the
Caribbean. The larger numbers did not come until after the Gold Rush of 1849 and
the completion of the transcontinental railroad. When the tracks of the Union
Pacific and the Central Pacific were joined at Promontory Point, Utah, in 1869,
about 30,000 Chinese railroad workers lost their jobs. Some chose to come to New
York because of the virulent anti-Chinese climate in the West.
An 1870 census shows there were only 23 Chinese living in New York City. But
the number increased to 120 in 1872, 853 in 1880, 2,559 in 1890, and 6,321 in
1900. They were mostly in such lines of business as laundry, cigar and tobacco,
groceries and restaurants.
However, anti-Chinese feelings ran high. The Chinese were persecuted and
attacked. Discriminatory laws were passed against them, forbidding them to
become citizens. In 1882, Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act, which
prohibited Chinese persons from entering the country except for a few exempt
classes. The hostility created a lot of problems for the Chinese already in this
country.
To address these issues, community leaders proposed the formation of an
organization representing all the Chinese groups in the New York area.
But the proposition did not materialize until 1883, when the Imperial Manchu
Court established a Consulate in New York. The organization was then known as
the Chinese Charitable and Benevolent Association of the City of New York. It
was incorporated in New York State in 1890.
In the beginning, there were seven member organizations: the Hoy Sun Ning
Yeung Association, Lin Sing Association, Chinese Merchants Association, Hip Sing
Association, Chinese Chamber of Commerce, Chinese Masonic Association, and Kuo
Min Tang Eastern Region Office. By 1948, organization membership had increased
to 60 and remains the same today. That same year, the Association was renamed
the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association. New York.
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6. How does your Association fulfill its functions?
By working like a skillful Chinese artist who uses two brushes to paint a
picture at the same time. On the one hand, we maintain close contact with all
Chinese-American organizations in the nation; on the other, we try hard to
integrate into the mainstream of American society.
Our efforts were reciprocated in 1954 with an epochmaking event. Robert
Wagner, who had been Manhattan Borough President, visited Chinatown after taking
office as Mayor of New York City. Mr. Wagner was the first incumbent NYC Mayor
to have set foot in the CCBA.
In May of the following year, a Congressional group arrived in Chinatown. This
was the first fact-finding mission from Capitol Hill. Five months later, on
October 10th, a number of U.S. political and business leaders attended a gala
party hosted by the CCBA at the Waldorf-Astoria in Midtown Manhattan, in
celebration of the "Double 10th" National Day of the Republic of China. Also
present were Governor K.C. Wu of Taiwan and Paul Cardinal Yupin of Taipei.
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7. Is the CCBA linked to other organizations like yours in other
cities?
Yes. There are sister CCBA organizations in many of the major cities of the
United States with large Chinese populations. In early 1957, we initiated the
convocation of the first National Convention of Chinese in America. It was held
in Washington, D.C., with 124 delegates attending from 35 cities.
The Convention called on all Chinese-Americans to strengthen solidarity, abide
by the U.S. Constitution, and seek equality with other ethnic groups. It also
called upon the U.S. Government to increase the immigration quota for China and
for immigration officials to refrain from harassing Chinese immigrants without a
warrant.
This Convention has since met every other year.
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8. What educational facilities do you maintain?
We have three levels of schools -- for the young, the very young, and adults
in Chinese and English.
· The New York Chinese School was founded in 1910, with the purpose of
providing young Chinese in the United States with an opportunity to learn the
language and culture of their ancestral land. Enrollment has multiplied from the
initial two dozen to the present 3,000, ranging in levels from kindergarten to
12th grade. The school is open seven days a week. It also conducts classes in
such specialized subjects as piano, Chinese music, painting, dance, handicrafts,
and martial arts. The school's 70-member drum-and-fife corps is a Chinatown
institution. It has been invited to perform at innumerable occasions inside and
outside the community.
· The Chinatown Day Care Center was established in 1976 by the Chinese Service
Center. When the Center ran into financial problem in 1987, the CCBA took over.
The Day Care Center now has an enrollment of 200 toddlers each month.
· The CCBA English School for Adults opened in the fall of 1970 to meet the
needs of an increasing number cf newly arrived immigrants to learn English. In
the beginning, 400 students were enrolled in 21 evening classes. Day classes
were added during the 1980s. At present, the average monthly enrollment is
between 400 and 500.
· The Cascades Center for Teaching & Learning is a special high school for new
immigrants, who have been out of school owing to family or financial reasons.
The first class opened in February 1998 with 100 students, ranging in ages from
17 to 20.
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9. What kinds of recreational activities do you support?
We have programs for all age groups.
· East Coast Summer Volleyball Invitational has been an annual event since
1988. Both men's and women's teams participate. They come from more than three
dozen East Coast cities in the United States and Canada.
· North America Chinese Invitational Volleyball Tournament has been held,
except for the years during World War II, annually and alternatively in New York
City, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Boston, Montreal, and Toronto. The 53rd
tournament took place in NYC in 1997.
· Twenty-nine table tennis teams compete against each other at the CCBA
facilities. Several of these teams are organized by youths of other ethnic
groups.
· Wai Tan Kung, a school of therapeutic breathing exercise, enjoys popularity
among the middle-age group.
· Mid-Autumn Festival Party for senior citizens has been held annually since
1989 on or about the 15th day of the 8th moon. In addition to the entertainment
program, we present gifts and food to the senior citizens living in the
neighborhood nursing homes.
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10. What is your Association's relationship with China?
Since its inception in 1883, the CCBA has maintained a close relationship with
China. For example:
· At the turn of the 20th century, when China was under Manchu rule, the CCBA
supported the democratic movement initiated by Dr. Sun Yat-sen. The movement
culminated in 1912 in the founding of the Republic of China, which still exists
in Taiwan today.
· In 1915, when Japan attempted to conquer the Republic of China, the CCBA and
the Chinese Chamber of Commerce in New York started a boycott of Japanese goods.
· In 1931, Japan began carrying out its scheme of conquering China by
occupying Manchuria in Northeastern China. From then until the end of World War
II in 1945, the CCBA and dozens of other Chinese organizations took concerted
action in boycotting Japanese goods and shipment of U.S. scrap iron to Japan, in
collecting donations, and in raising funds in support of China's war of
resistance against Japan.
· In the early 1940s, there was a series of severe famines in several counties
of Kwangtung Province in South China. The CCBA helped organize relief for the
victims.
· On October 1st, 1949, Mao Zedong came to power on mainland China. Despite
enticements and threats from the Chinese Communist Government, the CCBA rejected
their entreaties and remained loyal to the Republic of China Government on
Taiwan.
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11. The great majority of your members are from the Chinese
mainland, yet the CCBA appears to be aligned to the Republic of China, Why?
CCBA is pro democracy.
Compared to Mao's brand of Communism, we believe Dr. Sun Yat-sen's Three
Principles of the People: Nationalism, Democracy, People's Livelihood, upon
which the Republic of China was founded in 1912, are the principals by which all
people should have the right to live. It is also closer to Abraham Lincoln's ideal of "government of the
people, by the people, for the people."
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12. Does CCBA's position on democracy affect your treatment of
Chinese who are from non-democratic countries?
No. All people of Chinese ethnicity who come to us for help are treated equally,
whether from Taiwan, mainland China, Hong Kong, or elsewhere. We have provided
assistance to many Vietnamese and Cambodian refugees of Chinese origin.
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13. What was the CCBA's reaction to the massacre of prodemocracy
students by the People's Liberation Army at Tiananmen Square on June 4th, 1989?
Shocked and enraged. In addition to lodging a strong protest with the Chinese
Communists, the CCBA sponsored a memorial service for the victims on the morning
of June 9th in Chinatown's Columbus Park. The number of mourners was estimated
at between ten to twenty thousand. After the memorial service, they marched,
despite heavy rains, in a procession to the premises of the Communist Chinese
Mission to the United Nations in Midtown to vent their indignation.
Four months later, on October 1st (Founding Day of the People's Republic of
China), another memorial service was held in front of the premises of the
Communist Chinese ConsulateGeneral on 42nd Street in Midtown Manhattan, which
had been renamed "Tiananmen Square" by the then Mayor Ed Koch.
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14. We know that the Americans of Chinese descent have long been
the target of ridicule and discrimination. How do you deal with these problems?.
By taking all kinds of action permitted by law -- organizing rallies and
demonstrations, sending messages of protest, negotiating with the
parties/authorities concerned, or instituting legal proceedings. For example:
· Prior to 1944, aliens were prohibited from owning real property in the
United States. The restriction was rescinded after tenacious protests from the
CCBA and organizations of other ethnic groups.
· In 1966, when Mayor John Lindsay wanted to abolish the 5th Police Precinct
in Chinatown and place it under the jurisdiction of the 1st Precinct, the CCBA
considered his move as denigration of the Chinese community. Led by the CCBA
President, Chung Ping Hom, more than 5,000 local residents protested in front of
the 5th Precinct station house. As a result, the 5th Precinct remained on
Elizabeth Street, playing a significant role in safeguarding the peace and
security of Chinatown.
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15. What was the so-called "China Village" Plan?
The "China Village" Plan was introduced in 1951 by the New York State Government
for the reconstruction of Chinatown.
The reasons: The bulk of the buildings in Chinatown were then at least 70
years old and could not sustain for long.
The proposed Plan was vetoed by the community leaders. because
· According to the Plan, a half of the community's land space would be used
for housing. This meant a sizable decrease in the availability of land space for
commercial use.
· There were 120 buildings owned by Chinese-Americans, worth more than $6
million. It would be a great loss to the owners, if their properties were to be
dismantled.
· There were 307 stores, including 50 restaurants, in Chinatown. If their
facilities were to be destroyed, it would create a lot of unemployment and even
lead some stores to bankruptcy.
· According to the Plan, two categories of people were eligible for the
housing project: those with an annual earnings of $4,000 or more (medium-income)
and those with an annual earnings of $2,000 or more (low-income).
· Of the residents in Chinatown, only a small fraction of them were qualified
for the medium-income apartment, while facilities at the low-income apartment
were unfit for the daily living of Chinese-Americans.
· After a decrease in commercial land space, not many merchants could afford
to pay a higher rent for a new lease of space.
· After dismantling of their old buildings, many of the civic bodies could
hardly find an appropriate space within the community for relocation.
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16. In 1982, there was a huge demonstration against the building
of a new prison in Chinatown. What happened?
In the summer of 1982, the New York City Government decided to build a new
prison in Chinatown, in addition to the two existing detention houses already in
the neighborhood. The news stirred up an outcry of protest from the local
residents and business people. What they needed most was not correctional
facilities but more apartments for low-income families, schools, day-care
centers, clinics, and commercial space.
In spite of the community's opposition, the New York City Planning Council
voted to proceed with the original prison plan.
On the morning of November 7th, the CCBA executives tried a new form of
protest against the authorities. Led by President Joseph Mei of the CCBA, more
than 10,000 local residents of both sexes and all ages sat in silence in front
of City Hall, while their community leaders went inside the building to deliver
their message of anger and frustration.
As a result, the City Government compromised by constructing a senior citizens
building and a shopping mall on the edges of the site designated for the new
prison.
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17. Has there been any incident like that of Rodney King in
Chinatown?
Yes. In 1975, a car driven by a white male at the intersection of Bayard and
Elizabeth Streets on the afternoon of April 25th collided with another car
driven by a Chinese-American. The mishap was apparently caused by the former,
but the police sided with the white male and let him go. Infuriated, the victim
and several witnesses to the scene went to the 5th Precinct to vent their anger.
When Yang-hsun Yao, a young engineering student and witness to the incident,
accused the police of mishandling the case, he was arrested for obstruction of
justice and brutally beaten by two officers.
On the morning of May 19th, some 20,000 ChineseAmericans, headed by M. B. Lee,
CCBA President, staged an unprecedented demonstration first at the station house
and later at City Hall. In the end, the Precinct dropped all charges against Yao
and disciplined the two officers implicated in the student's beating.
A ripple effect from this demonstration resulted in beefing up manpower at the
5th Precinct, and the Precinct became more friendly with the CCBA and other
Chinese-American organizations. PS 65 was renamed the Sun Yat-sen Junior High
School. Schools in Chinatown were provided with more facilities for bilingual
education, and several new senior citizens centers were added.
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18. How was New York's Chinatown formed?
According to historical records, the first Chinese visitor to New York City was
Pang Hua, a compradore of Astor, an American trading company in Canton, China.
The year was 1807.
The first sailboat from China arrived at New York Harbor on July 10th, 1847.
Among the passengers abroad was Yung Wing. He was the first Chinese student ever
to enroll in an American school, and was graduated from Yale University in 1854.
PS 124 on Division Street was named after him.
The first Chinese immigrant to have permanent residence in New York City was
Lee Hua. He had amassed a fortune by gambling, and became the owner of a
gambling house in 1851. Seven years later, a merchant by the name of Ah Kam
settled down on Mott Street, thereby opening a cigar-and-tobacco shop on Park
Row and a grocery store on Pell Street.
Thus, with Mott Street as a "beachhead," the early Chinese settlers gradually
expanded their sphere of influence along Chatham Square, the Bowery, Park Row,
and such Streets as Doyer, Pell, Elizabeth, Bayard, Mulberry, and Baxter.
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19. When did New York's Chinatown begin attracting tourists?
In 1890, when newspapers began reporting about the deliciousness of Chinese
cuisine. By 1897, "chop suey" had become a household term and a favorite of many
American gourmets. The craze was created by a story in the now defunct World,
which said that, during his East Coast tour of the United States, Prime Minister
Li Hung-chang of the Manchu Court stopped over in New York to eat that delicacy
at Man Wen Lou in Chinatown.
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20. It is a well-known fact that early immigrants from China
were mostly manual laborers or laborers-turned retailers. How have they, or
their successors, turned this littleknown village in Lower Manhattan into a
bustling business center?
By diligence, perseverance, and ingenuity
Until the early 1940s, activities of the majority of Chines Americans had been
limited to the areas centerina around M, Street. It was due primarily to
language barrier and discrimination. Besides engaging in the laundry or
restaurant business, the jobs most commonly available for them were in such
fields as cigar-tobacco, grocery, laundry supplies, medicinal herbs, clothing,
and handicrafts.
During World War II, Congress repealed the infamous Chinese Exclusion Acts.
This opened many new avenues for the enterprising youths, and led an increasing
number of the younger generation to join the ranks of the professional elite
-accountants, bankers, doctors, engineers, lawyers, managers, scientists, and
teachers. The success of these professionals has helped to improve the image of
Chinatown.
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21. Where is Chinatown and what are its boundaries?
Chinatown began in 1870 with a cluster of stores serving the Chinese people on
Mott Street in Lower Manhattan. As Chinatown grew, the core area was bordered by
Baxter Street, the Bowery, Canal and Worth Streets. Today, however, Manhattan's
Chinatown has pushed its borders into Little Italy, the Lower East Side, and as
far north as Houston Street and southward beyond the Brooklyn Bridge.
Approximately 40% of the residents of Lower Manhattan are of Chinese ancestry.
A Chinatown landmark is Confucius Plaza, a housing project built near the
entrance to the Manhattan Bridge. Two structures, one 42 stories high and the
other 19 stories high, contain 762 apartments, ground floor stores, and the Yung
Wing Elementary School, which is PS 124.
In addition, satellite Chinatowns have sprung up in Flushing, Queens, and in
Sunset Park, Brooklyn. Both these places are now vital and thriving business and
residential communities, reversing the decline that had threatened these
neighborhoods.
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22. How many Chinese-Americans are there in New York City?
According to the 1990 census, the Chinese population in the five boroughs of
New York City was 240,000. This was proven to be an undercount by the Census
Bureau. Each year, more than 20,000 immigrants have made New York City their
place of destination. Along with natural increase, the Chinese population by the
year 2000 will come to at least half a million. If we take into account the
Chinese population of the Greater New York area, the numbers may run to 700,000.
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23. How have the Chinese communities been able to absorb all
these people?
The Chinese are a highly educated group. About 40% over age 25 have a college
education, so they can find jobs in the mainstream market if they have the
language skills. For example, Dr. David Ho was named Time Magazine's Man of the
Year for 1996 for his discovery of a method for treating AIDS. Yo-Yo Ma, the
famous cellist, performs regularly in Lincoln Center. Vera Wang is a renowned
designer who dresses the most fashionable celebrities.
As three-fourths of New York's Chinese are foreign-born, many do not have the
English fluency to compete, so they have created their own jobs and businesses.
· One area is in the garment industry. There are over 400 garment factories in
Lower Manhattan's Chinatown and about 200 in Brooklyn's. These factories are
owned and operated by Chinese, and they employ 40,000 people with a combined
payroll amounting to over $450 million. These factories produced a third of all
garments manufactured in New York.
· A second area is in the restaurant industry. There are over 2,000 Chinese
restaurants in the New York area treating the American public to China's
culinary arts. Chinese food is very popular.
· A third area is in the tourist industry. Chinatown is a very popular tourist
attraction. Every day, hundreds of buses and thousands of tourists come to
Chinatown, to look, to eat, to buy, and to experience a little bit of Cathay in
the U.S.A.
· A fourth area is in the jewelry industry. The number of Chinese jewelers in
the Chinatown region exceeds 200, which is second only to the Diamond District
on West 47th Street in Midtown Manhattan.
In sum, the Chinese have contributed enormously to the New York City economy.
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24. Where is the CCBA located?
Our address is 62-64 Mott Street, New York, NY 10013. Our building was
constructed with community funds and houses the CCBA headquarters, the New York
Chinese School, an auditorium, sports facilities, and street front stores. Our
telephone numbers are (212) 226-6280, (212) 226-6764 and - 6765. Fax number:
(212) 431-5883. |
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2008 Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association, Org. All rights
reserved.
The CCBA mark and logo are trademarks of CCBA, Org.
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