Scope and Contents

Larry La discusses his parents' journey of leaving Communist China, growing up in Saigon with his Chinese heritage, his family's escape from Vietnam after the Vietnam War, settling in Erwin, TN after living in a refugee camp in Malaysia, moving to Washington D.C. to work at City Lights of China, opening and running Meiwah, numerous anecdotes of his restaurant's customers working in politics and government, closing Meiwah West End, and earning the Outstanding American by Choice Award.

Scope and Contents In this interview, Mei discusses her family's move from Hong Kong to Washington, D.C., her relationships with other Chinatown kids, the Chinatown program at Calvary Baptist Church, and attended Wilson High School. Mei also recalls helping out at her grandfather's laundry, celebrating Chinese holidays, and her regret that her parents worked so much during her childhood. She concludes by speculating about the future of Chinatown in D.C., and how she believes that another Chinatown can spring...

Scope and Contents

Patrice Cleary discusses her experience of growing up in Massachusetts as Filipino American, joining the Marine Corps, various Filipino dishes, opening and running her restaurant in Washington, D.C., and promoting Filipino cuisine in America.

Scope and Contents Seng Luangrath discusses her childhood in Vientiane, Laos, living in a multi-generational home, learning to cook from her grandmother, the impact of the Laotian Civil War and the Vietnam War on her family, attending a French-language school, learning that her family would be escaping Laos but that her sister would remain with her grandmother, the experience of being smuggled across the Laos border into Thailand, life as a refugee in Thailand then the Philippines, attending an English...

Scope and Contents Seng Luangrath discusses her childhood in Vientiane, Laos, living in a multi-generational home, learning to cook from her grandmother, the impact of the Laotian Civil War and the Vietnam War on her family, attending a French-language school, learning that her family would be escaping Laos but that her sister would remain with her grandmother, the experience of being smuggled across the Laos border into Thailand, life as a refugee in Thailand then the Philippines, attending an English...

Scope and Contents Seng Luangrath discusses her childhood in Vientiane, Laos, living in a multi-generational home, learning to cook from her grandmother, the impact of the Laotian Civil War and the Vietnam War on her family, attending a French-language school, learning that her family would be escaping Laos but that her sister would remain with her grandmother, the experience of being smuggled across the Laos border into Thailand, life as a refugee in Thailand then the Philippines, attending an English...

Scope and Contents Seng Luangrath discusses her childhood in Vientiane, Laos, living in a multi-generational home, learning to cook from her grandmother, the impact of the Laotian Civil War and the Vietnam War on her family, attending a French-language school, learning that her family would be escaping Laos but that her sister would remain with her grandmother, the experience of being smuggled across the Laos border into Thailand, life as a refugee in Thailand then the Philippines, attending an English...

Scope and Contents From the Collection:

D.C. Oral History Collaborative (DCOHC) is a citywide initiative to train community members in oral history skills, fund new and ongoing oral history projects, connect volunteers with oral history projects, and publicize existing oral history collections. DCOHC is a project of DC Public Library, HumanitiesDC, and the Historical Society of Washington, D.C. This collection contains oral history interviews, transcripts, and indexes produced by DCOHC grantees.

Scope and Contents

In Asian American Voices in the Making of Washington, D.C.’s Cultural Landscape Asian American chefs/restaurateurs share their lived experiences of opening restaurants in D.C. and introducing their heritage cuisines and flavors to local communities. All narrators have some shared experiences, yet uniquely individualized stories, echoing the diversity of geography, ethnicity, culture, and religions within the category of Asian American.

Scope and Contents

The initial phase of this project interviewed some of the oldest residents in Chinatown, representing a generation in transition. This phase interviewed second and third generation stories that are uniquely Chinese American.