Chinese Benevolent Association (CBA) of Stockton

06/15/2026

Thanks to all the amazing volunteers who are putting in countless amount of hours to make the Stockton Chinese Cemetary the best it can be! Thank you Bernie, Gordon, Judy, Mabel, Kyoshi, Gordon, Wesley and Wayne for all your hard work and dedication.

06/14/2026

Chinese Lion Dancing has been part of Stockton Chinese Community for over a 100 years. Women/ Girls were never allowed to part of the lion in the past. We changed that recently and are proud to have Natalie/ Tracy (pink lion) and Ryan/ Fiona (blue lion) and Vivian who plays the cymbals for us!

If you’re looking for a great activity for your kids and want them to make new friends please feel free to join the Chung Wah Lion Dance Group!! Btw, ALL are welcomed regardless of race 😄 For more info please contact Mike @ [email protected]

06/13/2026

Jene Wah invites the community to its Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser on Saturday, June 13 from 8am–11am at their new location on Pershing Avenue in Stockton. Guests can enjoy pancakes, ham, fruit, and coffee or tea for $20, with dine-in and takeout available. Additional donations are welcomed to help support the nonprofit multi-service and senior center. Tickets may be purchased from Jene Wah board members or onsite, though advance purchase is encouraged.

06/13/2026

Save the Day; before you know it, Autumn is just around the corner.

06/12/2026

Stockton CBA/ Chung Wah will be picking up 2 brand new lion heads today from Leung's White Crane Dragon And Lion Dance Association for our Lion Dance team. These are the choice of colors we have. Which 2 do you like?

Also, if you know any kids who are interested in joining our group we are recruiting and looking to add new members. All kids from 8 to young adults are welcomed

06/08/2026

Stockton Chinese Community History

Chinese immigrants made their way to California during the Gold Rush. Arriving in San Francisco, they would travel through Stockton before hitting the mountainous peaks. Many decided to remain in the city and by 1850, Stockton had become a primary center for Chinese immigrants. However, over a few decades, white residents of Stockton would take issue with the Chinese in Stockton. In 1880, an anti-Chinese public meeting of 300 residents at City Hall proposed creating “devilishly uncomfortable” city ordinances towards the Chinese. Ordinances that would force immigrants to “self-deport” from the city. Even with the help of local landlord Rosanna Farrington—an ally to her Chinese tenants—these unjust laws were passed. Ordinances that included no open cooking, no operating laundries, no fishing, no ethnic hair styling, no firecrackers, no in*******al marriage, as well as Chinese children prohibited from attending white schools and heavier taxes on Chinese miners.

After years of appeals, Circuit Judge Lorenzo Sawyer strongly disapproved of these actions that “extinguished ordinary and blameless” business vital to human life. In 1886, the case reached the Supreme Court. There, the justices deemed these ordinances unconstitutional and terminated them. At the following 4th of July parade, Chinese immigrants were invited to partake in the event. As a celebration of their victory and a show of prideful solidarity, the Chinese made their presence felt. Their additions to the parade included two orchestras, Chinese men dressed as ancient warriors, traditionally attired women in carriage, prominent Chinese businessmen, and a woman warrior in full military gear on horseback.

06/07/2026

Stockton Chinese Historical Citizens....

Stockton's Chinese Community has a long history which has pretty much been forgotten... we are here to change that. At one time Stockton had one of the largest Chinese Communities in the USA and was known as Sam Fow, the 3rd city. It was named Sam Fow as Sacramento was known as Yee Fow, the 2nd City, and San Francisco is know as Dai Fow.. the BIG City. Many Stockton Chinese Americans have made substantial contributions to our city and country which we'll share with you... please meet Ed Ah Tye, a World War 2 hero who was decorated with the highest honor given to a Airman.. the Flying Cross

Edward Ah Tye was a World War II Veteran who served with the 324th Bombardment Squadron, 91st Bombardment Group. Edward enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1942 and after intensive training received his first overseas assignment in 1944.

He remembers the list of rules they were given upon arriving at Bassingborn Air Base, England. Among them were guidelines for what they should do if they were shot down, which included mixing in with local civilians. Edward asked the officer, “Since I’m a Chinese-American what should I do if I’m shot down and won’t blend with the Frenchmen?” He laughingly recalls the officer’s reply, “Don’t get shot down.”

At the end of his tour, he completed 35 combat missions. For his service, Edward was awarded the U.S. Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters and the Distinguished Flying Cross. He considered himself lucky to be the recipient of such honor. He also added, “All in all, the Ah Tyes were a lucky family. Six brothers in the service – three with front line duty and all returned home, healthy and whole.”

Edward and the rest of the “Wild Hare” crew regularly held reunions. He wrote, “After sharing so much during the war, there is a special bond and caring among us.” This is apparent in his memoir where his expressive tales of combat missions are interspersed with details of fellow soldiers he met during the war.

In 1850, his grandfather came to
California from Canton, China, with no formal education and a dream of finding gold. Grandfather found no gold, but he raised a sterling first generation of American Ah Tyes by working hard in a saw mill. Ah Tye's father finished elementary school and worked in a bank. Ah Tye went beyond elementary school, graduating from Stockton High School in 1932.

After the war, Ah Tye and two of his brothers owned and operated their own Stockton business for half a century
-- Ah Tye Brothers Shell Service Station.

Edward also received the Citizen of the Year by the Chinese Cultural Society of Stockton in 1994.

* Birthday: Jan. 13, 1914
* Birthplace: Oakland
* Age today: 89, turning 90 this
* Formal education: High school
* Military service: Army Air Corps,
* Profession: Stockton business
owner, master mechanic
* Retired: Yes, in 1979

Edward passed away on May 14, 2005.

06/05/2026

06/02/2026

WE NEED YOUR HELP!

Historian Connie Young has been running her peoject called the GEARY ACT PROJECT. This project helps collects Ceritifid of Residence from Chinese

https://www.thegearyactproject.com/upload-a-certificate

These certificates were issued in response to the racist 1892 Geary Act that made it mandatory for all Chinese in America to carry photo identification. Through your previous contributions we were able to discover that almost all Certificates of Residency on the US Mainland were issued in 1894. Because Hawaii was annexed later in 1898, the Geary Act was later enacted there. All Certificates of Residency for Chinese in Hawaii are dated 1901. These documents are different from Certificates of Identity which were issued to Chinese later on. We are only looking for the documents dated in 1894 in the US Mainland and 1901 in Hawaii.

If these documents are in your possession and if you have not submitted them to the Geary Act Project already, we would appreciate it if you could do so and share your family's remarkable story on the site. PLEASE ALSO SPREAD THE WORD OF THIS PROJECT TO YOUR FRIENDS BY EMAIL OR SHARING THIS LINK:

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Lt1rZ3Asu/

We only need a scan/photocopy and do NOT require the original document. Below are examples of what it looks like. The first one is from the Mainland USA dated 1894. The second of the child is from Hawaii dated 1901, notice that on her document, they lazily label her as LABORER.

Esteemed Chinese American Historian Connie Young Yu, who helped save the history of the Angel Island immigration station, is again collecting these Certificates of Residency from 1894 & 1901 for a special project to better tell the story of the deep discrimination that Chinese Americans experienced during the Chinese Exclusion Act. You can upload a scan of your family's Certificate of Residency as well as the story behind the certificate at her GEARY ACT PROJECT website here:

https://www.thegearyactproject.com/upload-a-certificate

Or alternatively, you can post your family's Certificate of Residency in the comments below along with the story behind it and I will send the information to her personally.

Thank you very much as your participation to this project is very much appreciated. Know that Connie Young Yu has tirelessly spent all her life trying to preserve the precious stories of Chinese Americans. Even at almost 85 years old, she still strives to do this. Please do your best to help her out and share this post with your network. Much appreciated!rta

05/30/2026

As part of AAPI month the CBA Dragon dancers performed beautifully at the Banner Island Ball park for the Stockton Ports Basebal game today!