CHINESE ASSOCIATION were founded to bring community to those born with important Chinese names and those who associate with that name. They provided a myriad of services for their members.
They were also the channels between new migrants and the Chinese Embassy. The embassy would regularly meet with qiaoling (leaders of the associations) to provide guidelines and suggestions.
Membership
The Historical Society for Twentieth-Century China (HSTCC) is a professional international association of scholars dedicated to the advancement of modern Chinese studies. Its members are among the most eminent modern Chinese scholars in Asia and America. It has 167 national and regional chapters and organizes biennial meetings at various locations in Asia, Europe and the United States.
Many immigrants joined associations of family names, locales or professions to help them succeed in their new homes. Look for their names on the rosters of these associations in the Library’s genealogy collection and in local history books.
The Association worked in conjunction with the London Chamber of Commerce, local Chambers and the Federation of British Industries on trade matters with China, Hong Kong and Japan. It also handled grievances against British traders by Chinese officials and lobbied the British Government for redress. In the years immediately following World War II it played an important role in preserving British business interests in post-Communist China.
Activities
Aside from promoting Chinese and Chinese-American affairs, the organization also seeks to connect with the college community by creating events like cultural show productions and trips. In a society that is becoming increasingly divided by different cultures, the association serves as a common ground to promote friendship and understanding.
CCBA tries to serve all its members, including those not affiliated with the club. For example, the CCBA provides help to newly immigrated families through its naturalization service. It also collaborates with mainstream organizations such as the Visiting Nurse Service and the American Cancer Society in pursuing their missions.
The CCBA is the mother of all Chinatown community organizations. It has served as a voice and advocate for Chinatown residents on issues such as business ownership, language services and civic empowerment. It has also assisted laid-off workers from P & L and Beverly Rose Sportswear through its Commonwealth-funded retraining programs. Moreover, the CCBA has worked on landlord issues and local Chinatown concerns, such as advocating for a library and for bilingual ballots in City elections.
Purposes
The purposes of the Association are to provide a platform and environment for undergraduate Chinese students to communicate with each other, to help them to integrate into college life, to promote cultural heritage and understanding, to facilitate and enhance friendship between Chinese and non-Chinese, and to enrich their student life.
The Association is a nonprofit, nonpolitical organization. It sponsors society gatherings both small and large for close interactions among members, organizes academic forums, hosts national events, assembles holiday celebrations, provides social support to its members, and carries out other activities to foster unity within the community.
It is also a semi-official group, answerable to the Chinese embassy for special political mobilisation and business regulation, such as promoting peaceful national “reunification”, exercising discipline vis-à-vis unhealthy commercial competition among member companies, and installing safety monitoring systems for overseas Chinese. Look for relatives’ names on the rolls of associations founded on family name, location or profession. They are a critical intermediary between Chinese migrants, local communities, and the Chinese state.
Functions
Overseas Chinese associations have been a crucial part of migrants’ social life for centuries. From the earliest associations framed around kinship and dialectal compatriotism to today’s political overseas associations, research on these organisations has uncovered diverse functions.
Associations bind migrant groups together while providing public goods – such as security support for Chinese migrants in host societies – and acting as intermediary platforms. They also help their members integrate into local society, serving as a bridge connecting individual migrants to the Chinese government and their hosts. Moreover, their strong connections with local elites facilitate philanthropic activities and give them commercial advantages in host societies. Finally, they also play a critical role in fighting anti-Chinese sentiment and xenophobic attacks on Chinese citizens in Zambia. When a tabloid published an article accusing Chinese of eating human meat, for example, Chinese association leaders were quick to react in online discussion groups and demand that the newspaper publish an apology.