Chinese Historical Society of America Museum: Exploring Asian American History & Contributions - Essay Sample

Introduction

The Chinese Historical Society of America Museum has been in existence for quite a long time now, and it has so many roles to play as far as the understanding of Asian American history is concerned. It reveals so many things about the contributions of the Chinese people and especially the artists on the way America has been and is today. There are so many things that are stored in the Chinese Historical Society of America Museum that in a big way help in the clear understanding of the race, culture, beliefs and practices of the early Asian Americans and how this has continued to change over time.

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The Report

From history, the Chinese Historical Society of America Museum was built in the early 19th century by the Chinese people who were living in this area at the time. It was set up to carry out various functions, and the most crucial thing that it does is the preservation of the history of the Asian American people and the things which were used in their areas (Belk). This has much to do with issues of their races, gender, ethnicity, architecture, beliefs and practices among several other things. From the visit to the Chinese Historical Society of America Museum, there is a lot that has been understood.

Preserved in the museums are important records of the situation in the early Asian America when there was a lot of discrimination on the outside people based on the race, ethnic communities, age and gender as well. It reveals that in the early years, the blacks were so much discriminated by the whites in this region and were not considered important. Apart from the blacks, the Chinese in who came into the Asian America was also viewed as minors, and therefore they had to face a lot of resistance from the whites regardless of the achievements they had brought about (Bentz). The women were discriminated based on their gender, and thus this was a community where only the men were considered to have powers in the community and were expected to exercise this power over the other people like women and children.

From the artefacts available in the museums, there is clear evidence that the people of early Asian America had serious beliefs and practices of traditions. They used very funny and complicated items to carry out their daily activities and were so much into these beliefs. These are items that range from utensils, items for cultivation and building, among other things (Belk). On the other hand, traditional believers were available in this land where they believed in various types of gods which they worshipped. Some of them were gods which had been carved from wood and other kinds of materials and these people also honoured and respected them. This was symbolized by the various kinds of gifts seen and perceived to have been taken to these gods by the people who worshipped them.

There is one very important thing to be noted from this visit, and this is the architecture of Asian Americans. In the early days, Asian Americans strictly followed and adhered to the traditional styles of building their structures. However, from the architectural items found and seen in the museum, it is evident that the Chinese impacted in a big way on the architecture of the Asian Americans (Bentz). There has been big progress and transformation on the way the people of the present day in this region make their various structures as compared to the ancient ones. The Chinese structures are tall and well designed, and the museum itself is one of the structures that show that the Chinese had a big role to play in this community of the Americans.

The site visited in this case has got a lot to reveal about Asian American history. This is because it shows the kind of transition and transformation that has taken place in all the dimensions of life in this community (Denton). One of the most important things is the transformation and changes that have taken place in ethnic education. Unlike the past times of the Asian Americans when there was no chance for all races to undergo education together, it has come a time whereby all the races can access education equally without any kind of discrimination. It is the same education which has brought about the serious civilization of the people and therefore a fast growing and developing Asian America.

The site tells a lot about the people of the Asian American communities and is greatly focused on the traditional narrative of the way things used to be in this particular region. Additionally, it lays great focus on the way the continuous improvement of all the aspects of the communities brought about or rather necessitated a change in the usual order of things for these people (Bentz). A lot is revealed by the site on the traditional life of the Asian American people and how it has been transformed in the modern days, yet it is still recognized and remembered.

The site has a lot to say about history v. History of the Asian America in that there has been a transition from the earlier history and America has now created a good History of itself from the early times until the present times. Asian America has had a lot of achievements up the present times, and the people from other parts of the world have also played a vital role in this history of Asian America (Denton). The reason as to why this site matter is because it provides the necessary evidence and records that prove how there has occurred a transformation of nearly all the aspects of communities in America. This site matters so much to the younger people of the Asian America because it helps them to understand the early life in their communities and all the things which have been achieved and thus making them aware of what they are likely to experience in the future as far as historical changes in the American communities is concerned.

Conclusion

The Chinese Historical Society of America Museum is of great importance as far as the history of Asian America is concerned. It has contributed a lot in helping the youths and people from other parts of the world to understand clearly the various things which America has gone through over time. It should be preserved well to ensure that it fosters a good sense of the transition of Asian American people in all the various dimensions of life.

Works Cited

Belk, Russell W. Collecting in a consumer society. Routledge, 2013.

Bentz, Linda, et al. The Chinese in America: A history from Gold Mountain to the new millennium. Vol. 10. Rowman Altamira, 2002.

Denton, Kirk A. "Exhibiting the past: historical memory and the politics of museums in postsocialist China." The China Quarterly 220 (2014): 1136-1180.