Religion was an important aspect of early Chinese settlements in New York City. Chinese established churches, temples, home and business shrines. One aspect of Confucian religious ideas was an emphasis on ancestor worship. Additionally, Chinese believers of various religions as well as non-believers in the 19th Century were all highly attentive to genealogy. This video gives some of the tools with which you can research your own Chinese American genealogical interests.
Chinese-American family history research can be conducted using standard genealogical resources such as censuses, city directories, and land transactions. There are, however, other resources that can be especially helpful, such as grave markers, records produced from the Chinese Exclusion Acts, and jiapu (collected family histories). Join Alice Kane to learn what resources are available and to gain a better understanding of the Chinese experience in America during the 19th and 20th centuries.
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