Elsie Chan's Oral History

Elsie Chan's Oral History

Elsie Chan's Oral History

Chinatowns

Chinese American families

Chinese--Migrations

Chinese Americans--Ethnic identity

Chinese Americans--Social conditions

Chinese Americans--Social life and customs

Chinese Americans--Societies, etc.

Chinese restaurants

Cultural assimilation

Racism

Oral History--California--Los Angeles

Chinese American women--Biography

Chinese Americans--Social life and customs

Elsie Chan discusses growing up with her family in Chinatown, Los Angeles. She specifically talks about how her grandfather migrated to the United States, the curio shops he owned, and her routine of going to school as a child. Elsie then discusses her father's restaurant business and how it was operated. She recalls the family dynamics in relation to her family, and notes her struggle in school with cultural identity as an American-born Chinese and trying to fit in. She describes her family meals growing up and vacations, which were usually to visit family in San Francisco or Salt Lake City, or for insurance related conferences for her father's job. She briefly discusses her hobbies, going to Disneyland, and her relatives, as well as keeping in touch with them. Elsie describes her mother's lifestyle after moving from Chung King Road to Alhambra and recalls memories of her family's association with religion and celebrating holidays. She then recounts her earlier years leading up to and including marriage and having children, describing the move from Atwater to Monterey Park in the '70s, and discusses her experiences with racism. Elsie recounts the impact her father's death had on her, having her second and third children, and their interests in their cultural heritage.

Arreola, Carlos

Phun, Juily

Chan, Elsie

Asian American Pacific Islander Oral History Project

California State University, Los Angeles

2017-10-28

2017-10-28

Bang, Sarah

Jeong, Sae Hee "Keshy"

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mp3

eng

Sound

Chan_Elsie_01.mp3

Alhambra (Calif.)

Atwater (Calif.)

Monterey Park (Calif.)

San Francisco (Calif.)

Carlos Arreola

Juily Phun

Elsie Chan

Los Angeles (Calif.)

01:56:08

PT1H56M08S