Guide to the Organization of Chinese Americans, Pittsburgh Chapter Records, 1973-1984 AIS.2001.05

Table of Contents

Summary Information

History

Scope and Content Notes

Arrangement

Administrative Information

Related Materials

Controlled Access Headings

Previous Citation

Collection Inventory

Summary Information

Repository

ULS Archives & Special Collections

Title

Organization of Chinese Americans, Pittsburgh Chapter Records

Creator

Organization of Chinese Americans. Pittsburgh Chapter.

Collection Number

AIS.2001.05

Date [inclusive]

1973-1984

Extent

0.42 linear feet (1 box)

Abstract

The Organization of Chinese Americans (OCA) was inaugurated nationally in June of 1973 as the first and only national Chinese American civil rights group headquartered in Washington D.C. The goals of this nonprofit nonpartisan organization are to advocate for social justice, equal opportunity and fair treatment; to promote civic participation, education and leadership; to advance coalitions and community building; and to foster cultural heritage. Included in this collection are copies of the OCA's constitution, by-laws, and articles of incorporation; information regarding court cases of significance to the Asian American community; and documents about the Organization of Chinese Women.

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History

The Organization of Chinese Americans (OCA) was inaugurated nationally in June of 1973. The goals of this nonprofit nonpartisan group are to advocate for social justice, equal opportunity and fair treatment; to promote civic participation, education and leadership; to advance coalitions and community building; and to foster cultural heritage. The OCA was the first and only national Chinese American civil rights organization headquartered in Washington D.C. This location was chosen as headquarters to facilitate greater involvement in federal legislation. Today the OCA has fifty chapters. The Pittsburgh Chapter was founded in 1973 and was one of the earliest and largest chapters. The Organization of Chinese Women was founded by the OCA in 1977. This group maintains the same goals as the OCA, but focuses its work specifically toward the betterment of women in the Asian American community.

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Scope and Content Notes

The Records of the Organization of Chinese Americans, Pittsburgh Chapter, mainly contain information about the organization at the national level. Included are copies of the organization's constitution, by-laws, and articles of incorporation; annual and committee reports; information regarding national conventions; and correspondence. Information from other chapters such as Santa Clara County, California, is included as well. Also present are records regarding various subjects related to the group's goal of aiding Asian Americans in becoming more socially and politically accepted, such as promoting bilingual education in schools, protesting bans on employing illegal aliens, and speaking out against restrictions on immigration which led to the separation of families.

Three court cases are mentioned within this collection: the Bakke Case, Vincent Chin Case, and Young/Chin Case. The Bakke case involved a claim of reverse discrimination by a white student who argued that he was denied entry to a medical school due to their policy of awarding 16 of 100 openings to minorities. This case proved important to the OCA because its outcome would affect affirmative action policies nationwide. The Vincent Chin case revolved around the minor penalties given to the murderers of Vincent Chin, a Chinese American. In 1984, two years after the murder, the Supreme Court ruled that Chin's civil rights had been violated. The Young/Chin case involved the Chinese American couple of Elizabeth Young and Kenny Chin, no relation to Vincent Chin, whose apartment was illegally ransacked and who were arrested by the Secret Service for a plot to assassinate the Royal couple of Japan. When conspiracy accusations did not stand up in court, the couple was charged with transporting firearms across state lines. The OCA argued that this accusation should not have been permitted due to the illegal means by which the firearm was found and Chin was only convicted of conspiracy to transport the firearm because it was agreed that Young, a woman, could not buy and operate a hunting rifle. They believed this sexist ruling and illegal search of the couple's apartment made them victims of human rights violations.

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Arrangement

These files are arranged alphabetically.

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Administrative Information

Publication Information

ULS Archives & Special Collections, August 2006

Access Restrictions

No restrictions.

Copyright

Permission for publication is given on behalf of the University of Pittsburgh as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Zachary L. Brodt in August 2006.

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Related Materials

Separated Material

Publications were removed from this collection and catalogued in the University Library System.

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Controlled Access Headings

Corporate Name(s)

• Organization of Chinese Americans. Pittsburgh Chapter.
• Organization of Chinese Americans.

Personal Name(s)

• Bakke, Allan Paul
• Chin, Kenny
• Chin, Vincent, d. 1982
• Eu, March Fong
• Lee, Hayden
• Young, Elizabeth

Subject(s)

• Chinese Americans -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh -- Societies and clubs
• Chinese Americans -- Societies and clubs
• Ethnic groups
• Societies

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Previous Citation

Organization of Chinese Americans, Pittsburgh Chapter Records, 1973-1984, AIS.2001.05, Archives Service Center, University of Pittsburgh

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Collection Inventory