Chinese Historical Society of NE

The Chinese Historical Society of New England is a Boston nonprofit and the first educational organization dedicated solely to documenting, preserving and promoting the history and legacy of Chinese immigration in New England. Based in Chinatown, it collects artifacts, oral histories and printed materials, studies the contributions of Chinese immigrants to American society, and works to commemorate places of significance to the Chinese American community, advocating conservation that respects both buildings and their host community.

Public programs bring that history to a wide audience. The Tunney F. Lee Memorial Lecture Series has covered topics such as activism and survival in Boston’s Chinatown from 1880 to 2018, Chinese American World War II veterans and contemporary senior migrants. Other efforts include genealogy workshops, walking tours, a Chinese-American Women Oral History Project and an initiative marking 150 years of Chinese students in America, all aimed at cross-cultural understanding and mutual respect.

What to Know

• The society was incorporated in Massachusetts in 1992 and adopted its mission statement that March.
• Its archives include the Harry H. Dow Archive.
• Projects have included the Chinatown Heritage Trail and renovation of the Mount Hope Chinese burial grounds, and the society keeps a Mount Hope database.
• The society presents a Sojourner Award and holds an annual meeting.
• Memberships and donations support its work.