Asian Canadian History and Archives

Welcome!

The Rare Books and Special Collections Library (RBSC) at the University of British Columbia (UBC) is home to a large and growing collection of materials that showcases the history of Canada and its people. Featured here are a number of collections that tell the stories of Asian Canadians and their rich contributions to the historical record both within Canada and across the globe. From personal journals to administrative records of early Asian Canadian businesses, from drafts of novels to photo albums and travel documents, the materials included in this guide are representative of a vital group of voices that are often overlooked in European focused historic discourse, yet warrant equal coverage. This StoryMap is based on the Asian Canadian History and Archives Research Guide, available here:  https://guides.library.ubc.ca/asian-canadian-archives  

The materials at RBSC reflect the history of British Columbia, including its history of colonization, patriarchy, and racism. The stories and materials that are deemed worthy of collection/preservation are shaped by the missions and values of the collecting institution, which often mirror the missions and values of society at large at any given time. As a result, archives are subject to the same historical biases and omissions that have led to the marginalization of certain races, ethnicities, gender identities, religions, socio-economic statuses, and sexual orientations throughout time.

When choosing the categories for this guide and seeing the number of fonds within each one, it became apparent that disparities also exist in regard to which countries and regions of origin are most valued by the archives in the Canadian colonial context. With very few exceptions, almost every collection included here is related to Chinese and Japanese Canadians. Beyond the privileging of whiteness and the bias against Asian Canadians in the archives, preference is also given to Chinese and Japanese stories, resulting in a clear imbalance that does not reflect the reality of the Asian Canadian diaspora. Furthermore, Asian Canadian materials are often hidden within the fonds of non-Asian creators who have collected and maintained Asian Canadian records for a myriad of reasons, such as occupational crossover, personal relationships, activism work, and colonial mission and education trips abroad. Furthermore, records related to the Canadian and British Columbian political system contain evidence of anti-Asian policies and mechanisms for maintaining white supremacy. 

Selecting, arranging, describing, and providing access to archival records is a substantial responsibility because it helps shape public memory based on what is chosen to be preserved and highlighted. By allowing its holdings to be shaped by the prejudicial views of colonial institutions–such as the University of British Columbia–archives essentially recreate the power imbalances built into Canadian society, highlighting a select few at the expense of others. Such imbalances lead to archival silences and erasures, i.e. gaps in the historical record that remake and whitewash the reality of Canada's past and present. 

It is the hope of RBSC that this guide will be one step toward greater visibility for Asian Canadian stories in the archives as we actively work to broaden our collections.

Archives are repositories that help shape public memory by preserving and “legitimizing” a particular historical record. At RBSC, we recognize that this creates a number of power imbalances in the archives, and we attempt to approach our work of acquiring, organizing, and describing records in an actively feminist, anti-racist, and decolonial way in order to avoid perpetuating systemic injustices. Additionally, we are committed to confronting the harmful effects of patriarchal colonialism that continue to persist in archives to this day.

Ultimately, this guide is intended to be a work in progress that not only becomes more accurate over time, but more holistic and complete as well. We understand and accept that appropriate and respectful terminology will continue to change and evolve. To that end, we welcome and encourage any feedback, suggestions, or criticisms regarding any of the terminology or resources that we have presented here.

Included in this section are records pertaining to the following:

• Chinese Canadians, including composers, political figures, activists, writers and businessmen.
• Chinese Canadian associations
• Chinese Canadian businesses
• Political upheavals

Click on the links below to explore our collections or scroll down to view highlighted collections.

Included in this section are collections and fonds containing the following:

• The records of Japanese Canadians, including farmers, religious leaders, writers, teachers and activists.
• The records of Japanese Canadian associations.
• Research collections that document the Japanese Canadian experience.

Click on the links below to explore our collections or scroll down to view highlighted collections.

The fonds and collections included here contain the records of Korean Canadians.

Click on the links below to explore our collections or scroll down to view highlighted collections.

Included in this section are materials relating to the following:

• South Asian Canadians
• South Asian Canadian associations

Click on the links below to explore our collections or scroll down to view highlighted collections.

This StoryMap was created for the LIS 590 Practicum course at the University of Alberta in Fall 2021 by Abirami Muthukumar, supervised by Claire Williams. Special thanks to Ekatarina Grguric amd the Research Commons team at UBC for all their help. The content of this StoryMap was based on UBC's RBSC's Asian Canadian History and Archives research guide. It builds off the work of Natalie Trapuzzano, Graduate Student Archives Assistant at RBSC (Summer 2020); Claire Williams, Forestry Archivist; Krisztina Laszlo, Archivist; and Allan Cho, Research Commons Librarian.

UBC Library. B.C. History. The Chung Collection.  https://chung.library.ubc.ca/theme/354 

UBC Library. The Chung Collection.  https://chung.library.ubc.ca/about 

UBC Library. C.P.R. Company. The Chung Collection.  https://chung.library.ubc.ca/theme/351 

UBC Library. Immigration and Settlement. The Chung Collection.  https://chung.library.ubc.ca/theme/348 

University of Toronto Libraries. (2016). Guide to Database [Overview]. Korean Canadian Heritage Archives [KCHA].  https://kcha.library.utoronto.ca/content/guide-database-overview 

Andō, Hiroshige, 1797-1858. (1832). Fujisawa Yugyōji [Maps]. UBC Open Collections. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.14288/1.0222850

Anonymous. (1989a). Back Cover [Photograph]. UBC Rare Books and Special Collections Library

Anonymous. (1989b). Back End page [Photograph]. UBC Rare Books and Special Collections Library

Anonymous. (1989c). Front Cover [Photograph]. UBC Rare Books and Special Collections Library

Anonymous. (1989d). Front End Page [Photograph]. UBC Rare Books and Special Collections Library

Beans, George H., 1894-1978. (1951). A list of Japanese maps of the Tokugawa era [Books]. UBC Open Collections. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.14288/1.0373617

Canadian Pacific Railway Company. (1899, August 31). Gold in Kootenay Boundary Country and Cariboo reached by the Canadian Pacific Railway [P]. UBC Open Collections. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.14288/1.0354843

Canadian Pacific Railway Company. (1919). Canadian Pacific Hotels [E]. UBC Open Collections. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.14288/1.0216094

Canadian Pacific Railway Company. (1923). Canadian Pacific spans the world [Posters]. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.14288/1.0216057

Cheekungtong (Chinese Freemasons). (1910). Chinese riddles [B]. UBC Digital Collections. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.14288/1.0132414

Chiang, Kai-shek, 1887-1975. (1955, October 15). [Letter of Appointment from Chiang Kai-shek to Henry Lok-tin Lee] [C]. UBC Open Collections. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.14288/1.0367633

Chock On Fong. (1980). [Special Issue of Chock On Fong publication] [B]. UBC Open Collections. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.14288/1.0367376

Sharma, H. D. (2019). Modern Sanskrit Poetry in Global Perspective [C]. UBC Open Collections. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.14288/1.0391831

Hiroshige III. (1877). Izumi no kuni Sakai no ura sakuradai narabini uoichi no zu [P]. UBC Open Collections. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.14288/1.0364383

Hitchcock, J. (2015). John P. Robarts Library [Photograph].  https://www.flickr.com/photos/arbron/29821865840/ 

Ichuyūsai Kuniyoshi ga. (1838). Hyakunin isshu no uchi [P]. UBC Open Collections. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.14288/1.0305746

Kazuyuki, T. (1859). Yokohama onkaichi meisai no zu [Maps]. UBC Open Collections. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.14288/1.0216610

Mike W. (2016). Simon Fraser University [Photograph]. https://www.flickr.com/photos/squeakymarmot/26612891922/

Rand & Lipsett. (1889). Lots for sale after Vancouver declared terminus [A]. UBC Open Collections. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.14288/1.0372864

Tairiku Nippŏsha. (1938, January 1). Tairiku Nippo [N]. UBC Open Collections. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.14288/1.0112680

Thomas, J. (2007). UBC [Photograph]. https://www.flickr.com/photos/iagoarchangel/2056372138/

Topley, J. (2016). University of Manitoba, Winnipeg / Université du Manitoba à Winnipeg [Photograph]. https://www.flickr.com/photos/lac-bac/26190856333/

[Unknown]. (1600). Bankoku sōzu [M]. UBC Open Collections. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.14288/1.0213137

[Unknown]. (n.d.). Canadian Japanese Volunteer Corps [P]. UBC Open Collections. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.14288/1.0380477

[Unknown]. (1985). [Dr. Wallace B. Chung photographed aboard the special CP Rail train en route to the Last Spike centennial celebration] [P]. UBC Open Collections. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.14288/1.0355140

[unknown]. (1920). Empress of Asia [P]. UBC Open Collections. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.14288/1.0135155

[Unknown]. (1940). Kazu Takasaki [P]. UBC Open Collection. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.14288/1.0049052

[Unknown]. (n.d.). [Photograph of Ron Bick Lee and his family] [P]. UBC Open Collections.  doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.14288/1.0367052 

[Unknown]. (1885). Rail section [P]. UBC Open Collections. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.14288/1.0366549

[Unknown]. (1860). Shinsen Hizen Nagasaki zu [Maps]. UBC Open Collections. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.14288/1.0223033

[unknown]. (1936, July 18). Vancouver Jubilee Bamboo arch, entrance of the Chinese carnival ground [P]. UBC Open Collections. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.14288/1.0220355

Utagawa, Sadahide, 1807-1873. (1865). Nikkō gokaidō Senju-juku [Maps]. UBC Open Collections. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.14288/1.0227943

Wah Shun Company. (1920). [Cheque Book] [A]. UBC Open Collections. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.14288/1.0367747

Ye, P. Y. (1903). [Letter, Ye Pu Yuan to Li Wen Yan, general inquiries, ca. 1903] [C]. UBC Open Collections. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.14288/1.0114110

Zhu, Ciqi. (1881). Zhu Jiujiang xian sheng yi mo. UBC Open Collection. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.14288/1.0214101