Exhibit: Finding Salem’s Chinatown(s)
November 11, 2022 – May 6, 2023
Unidentified Couple, photo by Salem-based photographer Myra Sperry. Oregon Historical Society Collections, Or. Log 480 B1 F5
Individuals of Chinese heritage have been a part of Salem’s community since at least 1860. Despite this long presence, it has been harder to trace their experiences in the written historical record and built landscape. Several collaborative research projects over the last five years have given us a better understanding of Salem’s historical Chinatown and Chinese-American Community. This exhibit will explore the people, places and experiences of Salem’s early Chinese-American Community.
Funding for this exhibit was provided in part by:
Will the exhibit “Finding Salem’s Chinatown “ be shown again in any venue?
We don’t have any plans at the current time, but a part of the exhibit is available to loan to local institutions if you know someone who would like to host. More information here: https://www.willametteheritage.org/exhibits/travelling-exhibits/. We are working, also, on getting the materials converted for use in the Salem History Hub website: https://www.willametteheritage.org/research/salemhistoryhub/. Coming soon!
We’ve incorporated some of the materials developed for the exhibit into our new History Hub Article: https://www.willametteheritage.org/chinese-americans/