Historical Location of Detroit's Chinatown Pagoda

Detroit in 1872 had a population of one Chinese man, Ah Chee. Chee opened a laundry business to support his expenses and send money across the ocean to his family. Many other Chinese people settling in Detroit followed this way of living. An example includes O.K. Laundry, originally owned by Wau Lee and Ah Tun. Eventually, the community began to grow with the first Chinese woman, Rose Fang, calling the area home in 1910. The formed society was full of culture and hard workers who would overcome the Vincent Chin murder, which occurred over 100 years after their arrival. They formed associations for the support of the general community. They celebrated cultural holidays and honored traditions passed down through generations, which aided in the growth and development of Detroit’s Chinatown despite the passing of The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882.

Between 1890 and 1920, the population of Chinese immigrants in Detroit, Michigan’s Chinatown grew, despite the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. Fear of competition from Chinese laborers led workers to demand that they not be let into the country. Thus, after 1882, only Chinese businessmen could enter the U.S. The small group of Chinese merchants helped to create a vibrant community. Throughout WWII and the celebrations of cultural holidays, such as the Chinese New Year, Chinese associations aided the community in various ways, such as food drives, hosting festivals, and providing health-related services. The presence of Detroit’s Chinatown holds great importance as it expands the cultural history of Michigan while highlighting an overlooked community. Although relatively secluded through part of the 20^th century, the community gained traction and publicity in the 1940s and 1960s from journalists and people of a higher position, slowly transforming into the modern Chinatown of Detroit.^[1]

Laundromats were the primary source of labor for Chinese immigrants as they settled into life in Michigan. In Grand Rapids, Michigan, Wau Lee, Ah Tun, and Lung San were a few of the first Chinese inhabitants who all worked in laundromats. Wau Lee and Ah Tun worked together while Lung Sam opened his business, O.K. Laundry. The laundromat was passed through several different owners in its location under a hotel.^[2] Many U.S. citizens were highly adamant about not having what they believed to be: their jobs taken or stolen by immigrants. Due to this strong territorial sense over occupations, many Chinese immigrants fell into the business of owning a laundromat and earning their income from there. While their wives were back in China, the men learned household chores, including washing, drying, and ironing clothes. The business was not lucrative by any means, but it gave the men enough funds to support both themselves and their families living across the sea.^[3] The hardworking nature of these immigrants, making the most of what work they could, highlights a vital community in the late 1800s in Michigan.^[4]

The neighborhood started small but slowly expanded and united through celebrations and hardships. As per the records of 1972, the Chinese inhabitants in Detroit were reported as just one: Ah Chee. A year later, three were reported. It was not until 1910 that the first Chinese woman, Rose Fang, came to reside in Detroit. Even then, the number of Chinese people in this area did not hit the thousands until 1929. Organizations such as the Association of Chinese Americans and the On Leong Merchants Association started to form. As more and more Chinese put down their roots, they gained traction from the press, who would often misspell their names when writing articles on their businesses and celebrations.^[5] Although a slow start, the formation of their community developed out of their culture and tradition. Associations gave people a place of comfort, support, and areas to be themselves. Celebrating their culture and holidays with others who held the same values was an important aspect. It gave them a sense of belonging and family despite having to leave their loved ones behind. The false spelling of names by the press displays how little they genuinely cared about the Chinese people themselves and their traditions—treated more like an exhibit, a story in the paper; Nonetheless, Chinese people still progressed and were able to overcome societal differences.

The population united during the murder trial of Vincent Chin in the 1980s. The case displays U.S. citizen workers' mindset and their point of view regarding Asian immigrants. The murder of Vincent Chin, committed by Ronald Ebens, a white automobile worker, and Michael Nitz, Eben's stepson, occurred in 1982 when Ebens mistook Chin for a Japanese man. Without input from those on the side of Chin, the judge ruled that on March 16^th, 1983, both Ebens and Nitz were condemned to a three-year probation, a fine of $3,000, and court expenses.^[6] For context, U.S. citizens were angry as their labor had been cut down due to the rise of Japan's automobile industry. The competition drove many laborers in U.S. automobile production to blame the Japanese industry for their layoffs as the use of automation was rising.^[7] The hateful sentiment is best exhibited in this extreme case, in which race was a prime motivator. With the Chinese community motivated for justice under Chin's name, they united in protest against the order of the court. This event showcases the outlook of, specifically, U.S. citizen workers, but the overall mindset around immigrant laborers at the time, over 100 years since the Chinese Exclusion Act. The contempt and opposition feelings permeated the minds as there seemed to be an in-group and an out-group. These feelings are essential to focus on when studying the history of Detroit's Chinatown. The Chinese community was outcasted but still managed to construct their sense of being and support system within themselves.

The importance of Detroit’s Chinatown stems from the untold root of Chinese history in Detroit. Often overlooked, reflecting on the past treatments, actions, and beliefs surrounding Chinese inhabitants in Detroit is required to appreciate what is there today. While the world pandemic of COVID-19 is subsiding, there are still prejudices against Chinese people that linger. By giving thought to the past, one is able to realize the contributions over history to the economy and cultural aspects of Detroit.

^[1] “History,” DETROIT CHINATOWN, July 21, 2023, https://detroitchinatown.org/history/.

^[2] Grand Rapids Community Media Center - www.grcmc.org, “The Earliest Chinese in Grand Rapids,” History Grand Rapids, September 30, 2007, http://www.historygrandrapids.org/photoessay/1664/the-earliest-chinese-in-grand-.

^[3] “History,” DETROIT CHINATOWN, July 21, 2023, https://detroitchinatown.org/history/.

^[4] Ibid.

^[5] Ibid.

^[6] Kaur, Harmeet, “Vincent Chin Was Beaten to Death 40 Years Ago. His Case Is Still Relevant Today,” CNN, June 23, 2022, https://www.cnn.com/2022/06/23/us/vincent-chin-death-40-anniversary-cec/index.html#:~:text=Yoo%20told%20CNN%20in%20an,in%201987%2C%20Ebens%20was%20acquitted.

^[7] Ibid.

“Department of Neighborhoods.” City of Detroit. Accessed July 28, 2023. https://detroitmi.gov/departments/department-neighborhoods. 

Grand Rapids Community Media Center - www.grcmc.org. “The Earliest Chinese in Grand Rapids.” History Grand Rapids, September 30, 2007. http://www.historygrandrapids.org/photoessay/1664/the-earliest-chinese-in-grand-.

“History.” DETROIT CHINATOWN, July 21, 2023. https://detroitchinatown.org/history/.

Kaur, Harmeet. “Vincent Chin Was Beaten to Death 40 Years Ago. His Case Is Still Relevant Today.” CNN, June 23, 2022. https://www.cnn.com/2022/06/23/us/vincent-chin-death-40-anniversary-cec/index.html#:~:text=Yoo%20told%20CNN%20in%20an,in%201987%2C%20Ebens%20was%20acquitted.

Owens, Keith. “Once upon a Time There Was Chinatown.” El Moore, March 25, 2017. https://elmoore.com/2015/01/06/once-upon-a-time-there-was-chinatown/.