The Chinese in Oklahoma
Historical Overview
Did you know that the first Chinese immigrants to Oklahoma are believed to have come during the 1870s? At this time, thousands of Chinese men were entering the western United States as laborers in the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad. As work on the railway wound down in the 1880s and 1890s, a few Chinese workers began to settle in both Oklahoma and Indian territories.
In 1882, Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act that allowed the United States to ban Chinese workers from coming to America. During this exclusion period, the Chinese laborers already here, that had work visas, were issued certificates of residency, allowing them to continue to work; however, many Chinese men found themselves facing deportation.
In spite of the law, during the Exclusion Era Chinese populations in Oklahoma began to rise. This was mainly due to increased anti-Chinese pressures in cities like San Francisco. By the 1890s, Oklahoma was a developing area in need of laborers and providing job opportunities. Listed in the 1889 Oklahoma City directory were 17 Chinese laundrymen working along Reno, Broadway, and Grand Avenue of downtown OKC. Another of the first registered Chinese, Willie Hwang, came to Oklahoma City in 1889 and opened a small grocery store on South Broadway. The Oklahoma City Chinese population was estimated to be around 48 people in 1900; the number more than doubled to 139 by 1910.
The majority of early Chinese immigrants consisted of males coming to America seeking their fortune, but with the desire to return home to China and begin a new life. This pattern, and the fact that Chinese women were not allowed to emigrate in great numbers after 1872, limited the family units established in the United States. This extended to Oklahoma. In 1910, with a Chinese population of 139, only two females were recorded. Ten years later, 18 out of 261 Chinese in Oklahoma were female. The result was a number of aging Chinese bachelor communities and a very low Chinese birth rate.
During the first half of the twentieth century, laundries and restaurants are two businesses that were easily started because they required minimal money and minimal English. Chinese immigrants immediately gravitated towards opening these types of businesses and some families in Oklahoma were very successful. Just like the Eng family, who had migrated to Okmulgee, Oklahoma around 1919. There were three brothers, one brother-in-law, and their families. They eventually moved to Tulsa where they opened The Mandarin Café, a well-known spot in downtown Tulsa that operated from the early 1930s to sometime after WWII.
In 1943, Congress repealed the Chinese Exclusion Act; however, limits on immigration numbers remained in place. This did not change until the signing of the Immigration Act of 1965, which abolished national/origin quotas. The Nixon and Carter presidencies (1969-1974) opened the door for economic and diplomatic relations between the U.S. and China, fueling the growth of the Chinese immigrant population.
During the 1970s and 1980s, the number of Chinese immigrants coming to Oklahoma increased dramatically, the majority being students and professionals. In 2000, the Chinese population of Oklahoma numbered 6,964.
Events or Points of Interest
- The Chinese government recognizes 56 ethnic groups that live in China's provinces. Each has their own history, language/dialect, and tradition. Chinese populations are regionally diverse, just like here in America. People living in a northern province may speak or dress differently than those in a southern province, but are all considered Chinese in nationality.
- The 'Spring Festival' or Chinese New Year is extremely important and highly celebrated by Chinese Oklahomans. Festivities include the use of brightly colored paper decorations, "hong bao" or red envelopes, usually for gifts of money, folk dancing and firecrackers. Family homecomings and reunions are also very significant during this time. The Chinese New Year never has a set date, but begins the day of the second new moon after the winter solstice (late Jan./early Feb.) and ends with the Lantern Festival, on the fifteenth day of the festival.
- There are four main traditional beliefs practiced by Chinese immigrants in Oklahoma: Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism, and Christianity. These traditions are not usually practiced independently but become relevant in different circumstances. Someone may turn to Confucianism to deal with a family or ethical decision, while they continue to attend a Baptist church each week. Families may go to the Buddhist temple but look to Daoism for physical and mental health. In almost every Chinese home, incense is burned to honor ancestors.
- The Chinese community in Oklahoma has evolved into an active community. The Oklahoma Chinese Cultural Foundation, established December 2, 1998, is recognized as the voice of the Chinese community. Currently, the Foundation sponsors the Oklahoma ABC Chinese schools, teaching Chinese language and various Chinese arts and crafts skills to children. Since its beginning, the Foundation has also participated annually in the Oklahoma's Salvation Army Feed the Homeless program.
- The Asian Festival is an important annual event held by Oklahoma's Asian communities. The festival allows participating groups to share their traditions of dance, music, food, and other cultural arts and crafts. Last year's Asian Festival was held at the Oklahoma History Center and people from the Chinese community performed a fan dance and Chinese yo-yo as well as teaching visitors how to write "1-10" in Chinese.
- Throughout the Oklahoma City and Tulsa metro areas, Chinese Christian churches and the Oklahoma Chinese Cultural Foundation are providing Chinese school programs for children. The classes are held once a week to educate kids about their cultural heritage and to teach them the Chinese language. "We want the children, especially 2nd and 3rd generations, they need to be exposed to Chinese culture and Chinese history and it need to be started from the language. Learn culture and tradition related to the language." - John Tai, pastor at the Chinese Baptist Church in Tulsa. Tulsa, OK, April 25, 2007.
Symbols
- Red is a very significant color in Chinese culture, as much today as in the past. Red symbolizes the positive aspects of life: happiness, wealth, and good luck. The rich color also is meant to ward off evil or bad luck.
- Jade is beautiful ornamental stone. The Chinese have used jade since the Neolithic period, over 4000 years ago. Jade is a special stone that represents beauty and purity as well as strength. Jade is also used to reduce stress and cools the mind.
- The dragon and phoenix are powerful images found in the Chinese culture that symbolize male and female qualities that are desirable. When placed in combination they represent the unity of the two forces and are a blessing for a harmonious marriage.
Chinese Oklahomans
- Many Chinese students came to Oklahoma to complete graduate and post-graduate programs. Dr. Jordan Tang, immigrated to study biochemistry at Oklahoma State University in the 1960s. Dr. Tang is a renowned medical researcher at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, where he and his team identified a key enzyme believed to cause Alzheimer's disease. Today, Dr. Tang and his researchers are developing and testing drugs that may one day treat this disease.
- "I was doing payroll, and then I was finally promoted and I was supervisor in the production line, which is mail deposits. Then I changed to be postmaster because I wanted to know a little more about America and in Oklahoma, in rural area…it's called Castle…it is not far as to the Muskogee 'bout the I-40 area." - Winnie Mah, came to Oklahoma in 1979 and became the first Chinese postmaster in the state. Oklahoma City, OK, February 8, 2007.
- Chinese groceries have been located in the metropolitan area of OKC since the 1920s. They provide spices, canned goods and some produce that is not found at traditional Oklahoma grocery stores. In 1920, unique ingredients and wholesale groceries could be located at the Chinese library run by Willie Hong at 210 ˝ W. California Ave. in OKC. While bean sprouts were one item continually shipped from China, most early restaurant owners would buy their produce from local Oklahoma farmers. Today is very similar. The Chinese or Asian market supplies the ingredients needed from China and the produce is bought locally. Restauranteurs, such as the Tien's, owners of the Grand House Bistro in Oklahoma City, purchase their fish from a fresh-water farm in Ada, Oklahoma.
- The Oklahoma Chinese Times began publication in October 1998. Hue Luong and Tinny Chang started the paper as a community service and to inform people in the Chinese community about events in Oklahoma. Donating their time and efforts, the paper grew from a modest circulation in 1998 to several thousand subscribers today. The paper has readers not only in Oklahoma, but as far away as Houston, California and Taiwan. Originally published only in Chinese, the paper is now printed in both Chinese and English.
Return to Other Cultures Main Page
Return to Diversity
Return to History Topics