A group of traveling entertainers from China arrive in Chicago and take up residence in the city.
Charely Pang, a confederate prisoner of war, arrives in Chicago at Camp Douglas. Pang served in the New Orleans Light Guards Company. He was captured in Georgia and transferred to military prison in Louisville, Kentucky and then Nashville, Tennessee before arriving in Chicago.
Chicago becomes home to a growing number of Chinese. Who congergrate in a section of the Loop to create the original Chicago Chinatown. More than a douzen laundromats and a tea house open business there.
The passing of the Chinese Exclusion Act marked a dark period in the history of Chinese Americans. Many fled rising hostility of their neighbors in the West and congregated in urban areas in the Midwest.
Clark street sees the first Chinese restaurant open up in Chicago. The establishment was in the basement of Bow Wow Fung store.
Chinese American right's activist, Wong Chin Foo arrives in Chicago. He advocated a civil rights organization for Chinese Americans and started a Chinese American bilingual newspaper, the Chinese American. Wong was famous for declaring that rather thatn race or nationality, "character and fitness should be the requirement of all who are desirious of becomming citizens of the American Republic."
Chinese students begin to arrive in significant numbers to attend Chicago Universities.
Dr. Sun Yat Sen arrives in Chicago to try and raise money for his effort to create a new government in China. This effort would eventually succeed and Dr. Sun Yat Sen would become president of the Chinese Republic.
Chigago's Chinaatown moves from the loop to the Near South Side, on Cermak and Archer. Though there are multiple reasons for the move, some have speculated that it was spurred on by political infighting between two of Chinatown's most powerful organizations: the On Leong Assosiation and the Hip Sing Assosiation.
The On Leong association hires two Noreigian architects to design their headquarters at the new Chinatown location. The building became a landmark for Chinatown, and would go on to host many public gatherings for the communty.
As World War II begins, Chinese Americans find themselves fighitng abroad both through draft and voluntary service.
Congress revokes the Chinese Exclusion Act, beginning a more openminded era. Though life for many Chinese Americans remainded a struggle and discrimination was still pervasive.
The communists, led by Mao (ze Dong) triumph over the nationalists led by (Chang Kai Check), this creates a steady stream of political refugees fleeing the new regime. Many choose the United Stades, and Chicago, for their new home. Many chinese students that had been studying abroad also chose to remain in the United States because of the turmoil back in China.
The Friendship Gate was built on Wentworth avenue. A symbol of welcoming, the gate is the first thing visitors see when arriving in Chinatown from the red line.
Chinatown outgrows its original space, and begins to expand into the surrounding area. Chinatown Square is built during this time.
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