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Chinese American Citizens Alliance (C.A.C.A.) is a
Chinese American Chinese Americans are Americans of Han Chinese ancestry. Chinese Americans constitute a subgroup of East Asian Americans which also constitute a subgroup of Asian Americans. Many Chinese Americans along with their ancestors trace lineage from ...
fraternal, benevolent non-profit organization founded in 1895 in San Francisco, California to secure equal rights for Americans of Chinese ancestry and to better the welfare of their communities. C.A.C.A. is the United States' oldest
Asian American Asian Americans are Americans of Asian ancestry (including naturalized Americans who are immigrants from specific regions in Asia and descendants of such immigrants). Although this term had historically been used for all the indigenous people ...
civil rights organization.


Organization

C.A.C.A. was originally named the ''Native Sons of the Golden State'' (similar to the Native Sons of the Golden West) and changed to its present name in 1915 to reflect its national presence. By that time, three lodges within California in Los Angeles (1914), San Francisco (1915), and
Oakland Oakland is the largest city and the county seat of Alameda County, California, United States. A major West Coast port, Oakland is the largest city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, the third largest city overall in the Bay A ...
(1917) were chartered as local lodges. In the early 1920s, the building housing the national headquarters at 1044
Stockton Street Stockton Street is a north-south street in San Francisco. It begins at Market Street passing Union Square, a major shopping district in the city. It then runs underground for about two and a half blocks in the Stockton Street Tunnel (lending its ...
in San Francisco was completed. As interest for local lodges grew beyond the Golden State, the organization's name was changed to accommodate a national alliance, the Chinese American Citizens Alliance. As of 2016, there are nineteen local lodges around the United States, including Albuquerque, Boston, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Greenville,
Oakland Oakland is the largest city and the county seat of Alameda County, California, United States. A major West Coast port, Oakland is the largest city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, the third largest city overall in the Bay A ...
, Orange County, Peninsula ( Silicon Valley), Phoenix,
Portland Portland most commonly refers to: * Portland, Oregon, the largest city in the state of Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States * Portland, Maine, the largest city in the state of Maine, in the New England region of the northeas ...
, Salinas, San Antonio, Greater San Gabriel Valley, San Francisco, Tucson, Chicago, Seattle, Washington, D.C., and Greater New York. The Grand Lodge became the highest governing body of the Alliance with its officers elected during each biennial convention. Local lodges each have their own board of officers and associates. In addition, each local lodge annually chooses a Grand Representative to serve in a Liaison capacity between their own lodge and the Grand Lodge.


Mission and values

The Purposes and Objectives of the Chinese American Citizens Alliance are to empower Chinese Americans and to improve the organization by: *pursuing the highest ethics, morals, and values, practicing and defending American citizenship and American patriotism, * bettering the economic and political opportunities in our communities, * preserving historical and cultural traditions, and * assuring the education of our youth and community. The Cardinal Principles each Member must abide by are that: * A Member shall be a person of highest character and shall uphold the principles of charity, justice, fidelity, fellowship, and mutual help of other Members, shall support the pursuit of knowledge, and must suppress self-interest to foster an organization united in cause for the good of community and our Alliance.


History

C.A.C.A has had over a century of civil rights advocacy and local community development. ''The Chinese Times'', founded in 1924 by
Walter U. Lum Walter Uriah Lum (, 1882–1961) was a Chinese American leader, newspaper editor, educator and an advocate for Chinese American civil rights. Early life Lum was born in San Francisco to Lum Guey Yue and Yan Lan, and was the fourth child and onl ...
, became the official and national newspaper of the Alliance for over 60 years and, at one point, grew to the largest circulated Chinese language newspaper in the country. Many community projects, such as the City College of San Francisco Chinatown/North Beach campus, San Francisco Chinatown Playground, and a San Francisco Chinatown police substation, have been due to the efforts and influence of Alliance members. In recent times, C.A.C.A. continues to promote immigrant literacy programs, support the preservation of historical sites and landmarks, and approach local and state governments to ensure
Asian American Asian Americans are Americans of Asian ancestry (including naturalized Americans who are immigrants from specific regions in Asia and descendants of such immigrants). Although this term had historically been used for all the indigenous people ...
topics are adequately covered in school curriculums. In 2012, through the collective effort of many Asian Americans including members of the C.A.C.A., worked with the
112th Congress The 112th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, from January 3, 2011, until January 3, 2013. It convened in Washington, D.C. on January 3, 2011, and ended on January 3, 2013, 17 ...
to secure the passage of two resolutions (H Res. 683 and S. Res. 201), expressing regret for the passage of Chinese Exclusion Laws. For H Res. 683, the House of Representatives passed the resolution by unanimous consent expressing regret over the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. C.A.C.A. has had a history of youth outreach programs. The Chinese American Citizens Alliance LA Lodge Youth Council (YC) was formed in August 2001 and is supported by the Chinese American Citizens Alliance, Los Angeles Chapter. It was created in response to the growing number of students seeking college entry counseling. The main goals of the Youth Council are to assist students with the college admission process, provide opportunities for them to perform community service and for youth leadership development. Membership currently consists of high school students, college students, and recent college graduates residing in the
San Fernando Valley The San Fernando Valley, known locally as the Valley, is an urbanized valley in Los Angeles County, California. Located to the north of the Los Angeles Basin, it contains a large portion of the City of Los Angeles, as well as unincorporated ar ...
,
Chinatown A Chinatown () is an ethnic enclave of Chinese people located outside Greater China, most often in an urban setting. Areas known as "Chinatown" exist throughout the world, including Europe, North America, South America, Asia, Africa and Austra ...
, Foothill (
Arcadia Arcadia may refer to: Places Australia * Arcadia, New South Wales, a suburb of Sydney * Arcadia, Queensland * Arcadia, Victoria Greece * Arcadia (region), a region in the central Peloponnese * Arcadia (regional unit), a modern administrative un ...
and Temple City), West and East San Gabriel Valley.


Notable events

* 1895 –
Chinese American Chinese Americans are Americans of Han Chinese ancestry. Chinese Americans constitute a subgroup of East Asian Americans which also constitute a subgroup of Asian Americans. Many Chinese Americans along with their ancestors trace lineage from ...
s in San Francisco establish the ''Native Sons of the Golden State'' in response to racism and prejudice that limited their employment, education, housing, insurance and banking opportunities. Full citizenship and informed civic engagement are key tenets. * 1912 − The cities of San Francisco, Los Angeles, and
Oakland Oakland is the largest city and the county seat of Alameda County, California, United States. A major West Coast port, Oakland is the largest city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, the third largest city overall in the Bay A ...
establish lodges. * 1915 − A new national charter is adopted to form the Chinese American Citizens Alliance under a Grand Lodge based in San Francisco. * 1921 – Built a National Headquarters in San Francisco. * 1924 – Alliance publishes ''Chinese Times'' as its official newspaper. It is the first Chinese language newspaper to be owned, edited, and published by American citizens. For 60 years, it was the principal source of national news and commentary for
Chinese American Chinese Americans are Americans of Han Chinese ancestry. Chinese Americans constitute a subgroup of East Asian Americans which also constitute a subgroup of Asian Americans. Many Chinese Americans along with their ancestors trace lineage from ...
communities. * 1943 − Congress repeals
Chinese exclusion The Chinese Exclusion Act was a United States federal law signed by President Chester A. Arthur on May 6, 1882, prohibiting all immigration of Chinese laborers for 10 years. The law excluded merchants, teachers, students, travelers, and diplom ...
provisions to permit Chinese to immigrate (albeit limited to 105 worldwide per year) and become American citizens. * 1946 – With Alliance backing, Congress removes immigration restrictions that prevented Chinese from benefiting from the 1945 War Brides Act as non-quota wives and children of American citizens. * 1965 –
Hart-Cellar Act The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, also known as the Hart–Celler Act and more recently as the 1965 Immigration Act, is a federal law passed by the 89th United States Congress and signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson. The l ...
removes race and national origins as basis for immigration. It comes on the heels of the
Civil Rights Act of 1964 The Civil Rights Act of 1964 () is a landmark civil rights and United States labor law, labor law in the United States that outlaws discrimination based on Race (human categorization), race, Person of color, color, religion, sex, and nationa ...
and the
Voting Rights Act of 1965 The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is a landmark piece of federal legislation in the United States that prohibits racial discrimination in voting. It was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson during the height of the civil rights movement ...
to atone for past discrimination. * 2000 – With Alliance support, California voters passed a state bond measure that set aside $15 million specifically for restoration of the Angel Island Immigration Station. * 2008 – Alliance wins House recognition of the contributions of Asian American/Pacific Islander soldiers who fought in the American Civil War. * 2012 – Alliance, with five national Asian American organizations, obtains Senate and House unanimous resolutions condemning the Chinese exclusion laws first enacted in 1882. * 2014 – The U.S. Department of Labor, with Alliance assistance, inducts Chinese transcontinental railroad workers into its Wall of Honor.


References


External links


Official website
{{Authority control Organizations established in 1895 Chinese-American organizations Chinese-American culture in San Francisco Non-profit organizations based in California Organizations based in San Francisco Chinatown, San Francisco 1895 establishments in California