MISSION

The Chinatown Heritage Project celebrates and promotes the multifaceted history, culture, and community that makes Boston's Chinatown so unique and vibrant. Through a series of innovative programs, we aim to increase cross-cultural understanding, contribute to Chinatown's economic prosperity, and offer contemporary residents new mediums for self-expression.

CHINATOWN OVERVIEW

Boston’s Chinatown, unlike the Chinatowns of some other major cities, is a self-sustaining ethnic residential community. It is by far the most densely occupied neighborhood in the City of Boston with more than 6,000 people in less than 50 acres. Chinatown is one of the few residential neighborhoods in Downtown Boston, and because of its location, it occupies some of the most valuable real estate in the City. But Chinatown is not just its neighborhood; as a political, social, and cultural center for Chinese and Asian Americans across the region, Chinatown is a community that extends beyond its geographic definitions.

Yet its physical attributes set the tone for much of the community’s efforts, at the same time that they mirror how Chinatown is viewed in the larger socio-political and economic arena. Chinatown is often described as “small,” “dirty,” or “crowded” – easily digestible phrases that fail to tell the whole story of Chinatown as a cultural nexus.

Physically, Boston’s Chinatown may be the oldest continuously occupied Chinatown neighborhood in the country. The first Chinese laborers pitched tents in the neighborhood in 1869 due to its proximity to transportation and manufacturing; the City of Boston quite literally grew out from Chinatown’s location. Being in the heart of downtown Boston, however, coupled with the fact that the voices of its residents were often drowned out by other communities, has led to much heartache over the decades. It is no accident that the construction of the Central Artery and Mass Pike Extension in the 1960’s and the relocation of the Combat Zone in the 1970’s all ended up in Chinatown, displacing residents, demolishing buildings, and threatening the cultural character of Chinatown.

According to Census 2000, Boston’s Chinatown is the fourth largest in the country. It is an area where Asians, primarily Chinese Americans, live, work, attend school, and utilize services and amenities. It is a gateway for new immigrants and for workers at the bottom of the economic ladder. It is a place where children play. It is a place where youth can learn and grow into their ethnic identity through their neighbors and peers. For many adults who have left Chinatown, it is still a place where their once-transplanted roots are established when they arrived in this new country; as such, it holds a special bond and meaning. It is certainly where they now shop and seek social interaction with other immigrants. In contrast to the broader perception of New Englanders, it is not just a commercial or tourist-focused district with Chinese restaurants; Chinatown is both a physical and emotional center.

Over time, however, history has shown that it repeats itself. The cultural character of this historic neighborhood is again threatened, this time by institutional encroachment, rapid development of luxury housing, and a red hot real estate market which drives housing costs higher each year, pushing out long time residents and their families. As important as preserving our culture and heritage has always been, now it is more vital than ever. On the chance that we may lose the very qualities that have defined Chinatown for so long, understanding our history is necessary to hold our community together as we move forward towards realizing our full potential.