by Akemi Tamanaha, Associate Editor
2,200 people gathered outside the California Museum in Sacramento on Sunday morning for the free grand opening of the museum’s “Gold Mountain: Chinese Californian Stories” exhibit. The exhibit illustrates the diverse experiences of the California Chinese American community and underscores the important role Chinese Americans played in California history.
“We’re thrilled to present the new exhibit ‘Gold Mountain,’” Executive Director Amanda Meeker said in a statement. “Although the role of Chinese Californians in building the transcontinental railroad is well-known, their other contributions to shaping our state over the last 175 years are often overlooked. This exhibit highlights their unsung role in the state’s past and present while revealing connections to current issues of race, nationalism and civil rights.”
The museum opened at 12 p.m. The opening began with a welcome address from journalist and Sacramento native Lisa Ling in the museum’s auditorium. Attendees were instructed to arrive at 11:30 a.m. for an early check-in which would secure one of 256 seats at the welcome address. Within minutes, all seats were taken. The staff decided to allow guests to stand in the back of the auditorium.
In her welcome address, Ling said she was proud to be a part of “Gold Mountain: Chinese Californian Stories.”
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“It’s a day that I’ve been waiting for my entire life,” Ling said of the exhibit’s opening.
Ling grew up Carmichael, a suburb just outside of Sacramento where there were very few Asian families. She admitted that as a child, she hated being Chinese.
“When you’re a kid, you just want to fit in,” Ling said. “You don’t want to be different, and what I looked like reminded everyone that I was different.
Ling did not begin to appreciate where she came from until she began to familiarize herself with her own family history. She said she hoped that the exhibit would give others the same opportunity, adding that it is important for Asian Americans, especially the younger demographic, to see representation.
“I think about what little Lisa would have thought about growing up if she would have had access to an exhibit like this,” Ling said. “It would have been a game-changer.”
The exhibit opening brought together people from several different communities in Sacramento. While many of the attendees were Chinese Americans of all ages who had grown up in Sacramento, others who wandered through the exhibit were non-Chinese Americans interested in exploring California’s historic Chinese community.
Together, they learned about the lives of Chinese Americans such as Wong Kim Ark, a San Francisco native who helped establish birthright citizenship with a win in the 1898 Supreme Court case United States v. Wong Kim Ark.
The exhibit lauded the present-day success of Chinese Americans working on Crazy Rich Asians and also featured the stories of Hollywood pioneers like Anna May Wong. Wong, a Los Angeles native, became the first Chinese American movie star with her 1922 performance in The Toll of the Sea.
One portion showcased the success of Chinese American restaurants like Frank Fat’s, the restaurant that also catered the grand opening. Frank Fat’s has been serving customers in Sacramento since 1939.
The California Museum held related events throughout the day. After Ling’s welcome address, there was a lion dance in the lobby. Lawrence and Brian Tom held a presentation and signing for their book Gold Country’s Last Chinatown: Marysville, California. Filmmakers James Q. Chan and Corey Tong also participated in a Q&A after a screening of their film Forever, Chinatown.
Other activities, such as calligraphy demonstrations, were interactive and targeted at families with children. Several attendees stayed until the museum closed at 5 p.m. to enjoy all of the activities.
According to the California Museum, “Gold Mountain: Chinese Californian Stories” is a long term exhibit and will be open for at least five years. Information on hours and admission is listed on the museum’s website. The museum will offer free admission on February 1.
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