History of the Chinese American Citizens Alliance
Formation of New Organization
To combat anti-Chinese sentiment and accelerate the process of assimilation a small group of young Chinese Americans, born and raised in the United States, assembled in San Francisco. They found that they not only had to fight the hostile public opinion against their Chinese ancestry, but they also had to overcome the skepticism of their own elders who felt that these young upstarts were becoming too Americanized and were forgetting the ideals of the old country. Despite this opposition, this group of Chinese Americans believed in the importance of their American birth and felt that they nevertheless had a role to play in shaping this country. They were not easily discouraged and believed that, in the final analysis, they could be judged on the basis of their own actions and achievements. The Chinese American community needed leaders with their background and their crusading spirit to actively participate in and partake of the advantages of American ideals, traditions, and institutions.
Thus, the fraternal order of the Native Sons of the Golden State came into existence in San Francisco. First incorporated in the State of California by Chun Dick in 1895, the group was later reorganized in 1904 by Walter U. Lum, Joseph K. Lum, and Ng Gunn. By 1912, other Chinese Americans in communities outside of San Francisco learned of the organization and wanted to form local chapters. Oakland, San Francisco, and Los Angeles soon became the nucleus of the Grand Parlor. One year later, units in Fresno and San Diego were added, making it a statewide organization.
New Charter
Membership in the organization was at first confined to Chinese males born within the State of California, but as more and more requests came to establish branches elsewhere, it became apparent that a complete reorganization was necessary. The name,'"Native Sons of the Golden State," no longer adequately described the national organization that was planned, so a new charter was taken out in 1915 under the name, the "Chinese American Citizens Alliance." The Grand Lodge became the highest governing body of the Alliance with its officers elected duing each biennial convention. Local lodges in San Francisco, Oakland, Los Angeles, San Diego, Fresno, Portland, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Detroit, and Boston each had their own board of officers and associates. In addition, each local lodge annually chose a Grand Representative to serve in a Liaison capacity between their own lodge and the Grand Lodge.
By 1920, the building housing the National Headquarters at 1044 Stockton Street in San Francisco was completed. The grand opening celebration on August 10th of that year brought into full realization the plans conceived in Los Angeles in 1914, perfected in San Francisco in 1915, and carried out in Oakland in 1917.
In later years, other lodges were opened in San Antonio, Houston, Albuquerque, Tucson, Phoenix, Sunnyvale (now renamed Peninsula Lodge), Washington DC, New York, and Sacramento. From that small group of men in San Francisco, the Alliance became a national organization. In 1977, another milestone in membership was achieved when women were admitted as members for the first time. Since then, a number of women have been elected to hold office in local lodges, including the office of president. By the national convention in Houston in 1993, the numbers of male and female presidents of regional lodges were almost equal. In 1997, at the convention in Phoenix, Nancy Ann Gee was elected as the first woman to hold the office of National Grand President.
Source: http://www.cacanational.org/
To combat anti-Chinese sentiment and accelerate the process of assimilation a small group of young Chinese Americans, born and raised in the United States, assembled in San Francisco. They found that they not only had to fight the hostile public opinion against their Chinese ancestry, but they also had to overcome the skepticism of their own elders who felt that these young upstarts were becoming too Americanized and were forgetting the ideals of the old country. Despite this opposition, this group of Chinese Americans believed in the importance of their American birth and felt that they nevertheless had a role to play in shaping this country. They were not easily discouraged and believed that, in the final analysis, they could be judged on the basis of their own actions and achievements. The Chinese American community needed leaders with their background and their crusading spirit to actively participate in and partake of the advantages of American ideals, traditions, and institutions.
Thus, the fraternal order of the Native Sons of the Golden State came into existence in San Francisco. First incorporated in the State of California by Chun Dick in 1895, the group was later reorganized in 1904 by Walter U. Lum, Joseph K. Lum, and Ng Gunn. By 1912, other Chinese Americans in communities outside of San Francisco learned of the organization and wanted to form local chapters. Oakland, San Francisco, and Los Angeles soon became the nucleus of the Grand Parlor. One year later, units in Fresno and San Diego were added, making it a statewide organization.
New Charter
Membership in the organization was at first confined to Chinese males born within the State of California, but as more and more requests came to establish branches elsewhere, it became apparent that a complete reorganization was necessary. The name,'"Native Sons of the Golden State," no longer adequately described the national organization that was planned, so a new charter was taken out in 1915 under the name, the "Chinese American Citizens Alliance." The Grand Lodge became the highest governing body of the Alliance with its officers elected duing each biennial convention. Local lodges in San Francisco, Oakland, Los Angeles, San Diego, Fresno, Portland, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Detroit, and Boston each had their own board of officers and associates. In addition, each local lodge annually chose a Grand Representative to serve in a Liaison capacity between their own lodge and the Grand Lodge.
By 1920, the building housing the National Headquarters at 1044 Stockton Street in San Francisco was completed. The grand opening celebration on August 10th of that year brought into full realization the plans conceived in Los Angeles in 1914, perfected in San Francisco in 1915, and carried out in Oakland in 1917.
In later years, other lodges were opened in San Antonio, Houston, Albuquerque, Tucson, Phoenix, Sunnyvale (now renamed Peninsula Lodge), Washington DC, New York, and Sacramento. From that small group of men in San Francisco, the Alliance became a national organization. In 1977, another milestone in membership was achieved when women were admitted as members for the first time. Since then, a number of women have been elected to hold office in local lodges, including the office of president. By the national convention in Houston in 1993, the numbers of male and female presidents of regional lodges were almost equal. In 1997, at the convention in Phoenix, Nancy Ann Gee was elected as the first woman to hold the office of National Grand President.
Source: http://www.cacanational.org/
