About Chinese Historical Society of Southern California
Founded in 1975, the Chinese Historical Society of Southern California (CHSSC) is dedicated to promoting the heritage of the Chinese and Chinese American community in Southern California and to communicating its knowledge of that heritage to the wider public. Based in the historic Los Angeles Chinatown, the all-volunteer society celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2025, marking a half-century of community documentation, scholarship, and public programming.
The society's work centers on preserving and sharing the stories of Chinese Americans in the region. Its Chinatown Remembered Project documented the life histories of Chinese American elders who came of age in Los Angeles during the 1930s and 1940s, recording oral histories with the help of high school and college interns to challenge the absence of Chinese American voices in American archives. CHSSC also publishes the Gum Saan Journal, which explores the historical, cultural, and humanistic aspects of the Chinese American experience.
Collections, Exhibits, and Programs
CHSSC maintains a growing digital archive, a library collection with an online catalog, and online exhibits such as "Chinatown Associations: Anchors of the Community." The society publishes the News 'N Notes newsletter, hosts lectures and dinner programs—often in collaboration with the China Society of Southern California—and participates in community events including the Golden Dragon Parade and the annual commemoration of the Chinese Massacre of 1871. It has also supported public history projects such as plaques honoring Chinese railroad workers and the Yuen Kee Laundry fire site.
Planning Your Visit
The Chinese Historical Society of Southern California is located in the historic Los Angeles Chinatown area. For current hours, programs, membership information, and access to its digital archives and online exhibits, visit the society's official website at chssc.org.
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