The Chinese American beauty pageant began in San Francisco in 1915, an annual enhancement to Chinatown festivities and becoming a hugely successful  national contest in 1958. Author Connie Young Yu will discuss the history and culture of Miss Chinatown USA, its importance to the Chinese community during the era of Chinese exclusion and the Cold War and how its legacy impacted the image and self-identity of Chinese women. The presentation will include photographs from the collection of John C. Young, Connie’s father, a leader of the San Francisco Chinese Chamber of Commerce and organizer of the first Miss Chinatown U.S.A. pageant.

Connie Young Yu is a third generation Chinese American who has written extensively on Asian American issues and the history of pioneer Chinese communities. Connie is the author of Chinatown, San Jose, USA(https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4988347-chinatown-san-jose-u-s-a) and co-editor of Voices from the Railroad: Stories by Descendants of Chinese Railroad Workers (https://www.asiabookcenter.com/store/p2195/Voices_from_the_Railroad%3A_Stories_by_descendants_of_Chinese_railroad_workers.html). She is a board member emeritus of the Chinese Historical Society of America (CHSA). Her father, John C. Young, was a leader of San Francisco’s Chinese Chamber of Commerce and an organizer of the first Miss Chinatown USA contest. Recently, Connie was involved the issuance of an apology resolution from the City of San Jose, CA for that city’s destruction of its Chinatown over a century ago