Abstract
This presentation will examine the Immigration and migration patterns of Chinese Immigrants coming to Cuba in the 19th and 20th centuries. The James and Anna Melikian Chinese Immigrants in Cuba Collection in the Arizona State University Library Digital Repository contains over 2,000 manuscripts, court cases, documents and photos concerned with the Chinese community in Cuba. Originating from the need for indentured servants in the post-slavery era, immigrants from China came to Cuba beginning in the mid-19th century. The team at the Arizona State University Library has been able to trace the migration from China to Cuba through ship manifests and labor contracts. Early in the 20th century, a new wave of Chinese immigrants arrived in Cuba from China. Through personal family documents and photos, the team has been able to follow some families and gain a greater understanding of the life of Chinese immigrants in Cuba and their subsequence migration out of Cuba after the revolution. The presentation will present several case studies of a few of these families, derived from the Melikian Chinese Immigrants in Cuba collection. These studies will highlight the different migration patterns of the Chinese that came to Cuba. By analyzing the documents left by the families, the team hopes to discover the motivations of the Chinese Immigrants and get an overview of life of the Chinese in Cuba during the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Chinese Immigrants in Cuba: Documents from the James and Ana Melikian Collection:
link: https://repository.asu.edu/collections/170
