The Chinatown Files Documentary—a History Repeated Part I

Join CHSA for a screening of the Chinatown Files (2001), followed by a Q&A with its Director Amy Chen, and Professor Emeritus Ling-Chi Wang.

This documentary explores the legacy of McCarthyism on the Chinese American community. Chinese American men and women who were hunted down, jailed, and targeted for deportation speak for the first time about how they and their friends were investigated and prosecuted by government agents during the McCarthy witch hunts of the 1950s. At the height of the hysteria, thousands of Chinese immigrants and American citizens of Chinese descent were targeted because of their ethnicity and alleged risk to national security. This cautionary tale of xenophobia and hysteria serves as a reminder of the fragility of constitutional protections today.

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Program Schedule (PDT)

1pm-1:05pm: Opening Remarks

1:05pm-2:00 pm: Screening

2:00pm-2:10pm: Break

2:10pm-2:45pm Audience Q&A (send advance questions to info@chsa.org)

Distribution Partner

Special thank you to our distribution partner Third World Newsreel (TWN) for making this screening possible. TWN is an alternative media arts organization that fosters the creation, appreciation and dissemination of independent film and video by and about people of color and social justice issues. You can learn more about their work here.

Registration Information

• Tickets are available with a suggested donation of $10 to support CHSA.
• Members can register for CHSA programs for free! Check your monthly Members Newsletter for the access code. Click here to register for membership.
• Space is limited; we encourage you to get your ticket early.
• If you are purchasing tickets for multiple viewers in different locations, please register your friend or family member’s email address so that the ticket is sent to them for the program.
• Please contact CHSA if you have any difficulties registering your friend/family member before the start of the event.