The Antioch Historical Society is pleased to announce a symposium in honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
It will take place on Saturday, May 20, 2023, from 2:00 until 4:00 p.m. at the Museum, 1500 W. 4th Street, in Antioch. Though the event is free, attendees will need to reserve a spot through Eventbrite or by calling the Museum at 925-757-1326,
The topic of the historical symposium is “Asian American History in the Antioch Area: Trials and Triumphs.” The MC of the event will be Dr. Hans Ho. An esteemed lineup of Asian American leaders and authors will speak:
- Dr. Richard Tenaza, Professor Emeritus of Biological Sciences at University of the Pacific, and past president of the Filipino American National Historical Society Museum in Stockton;
- Professor Bruce Quan, retired lawyer and law professor in both California (UC Hastings) and China, author of Bitter Roots: Five generations of a Chinese family in America, about his and his family’s experiences;
- Ms. Marsha Cheung-Golangco, an author, speaker and consultant on environmental Feng Shui, Bay Area Region President of APAPA, and co-founder of Sustainable Contra Costa; and
- Professor Jean Pfaelzer, author of Driven Out: the forgotten war against Chinese Americans, one of the New York Times “100 Notable Books of the Year in 2007, plus a number of other titles; she appeared in the 2017 PBS documentary,”The Chinese Exclusion Act,” and she speaks on NPR and Pacifica on labor and immigration.
To kickoff the day’s program, the Museum will receive the official donation of a special framed proclamation. On April 14, 2020, at a news conference Antioch Mayor Lamar Thorpe signed a proclamation condemning hate against Asians and Pacific Islanders. When Thorpe heard about the experience of Alfred Chan of Oakland, WWII Navy veteran who was refused service in an Antioch restaurant in the 1940s, he presented the framed, signed proclamation to Chan in November, 2022. Alfred Chan passed away earlier this year at 98 years of age. On behalf of his family, Chan’s son Ron will officially donate the proclamation to the Museum.
For tickets and more information , click here.
