Between the 1880s and the late 1960s, Providence was home to a bustling Chinese American community in the downtown area. Providence’s Chinatown is a project to rediscover these locations and to connect this history to Rhode Island’s modern Chinese diaspora. This exhibition is the first piece of an effort to share the history of Rhode Island’s Chinese community and create a permanent archive collection.
Click here to visit the project’s website
This site-specific exhibition can be experienced through a walking tour of window fronts downtown along Westminster and Empire Streets, where the first Chinatown used to stand. The exhibition continues at the Rhode Island State Archives on Westminster Street, open Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.
Guided Walking Tour & Lunch with the Curators
12:00pm – 2:30pm
Screening of The Chinese Exclusion Act and Panel Discussion
3:00pm – 4:30pm
On Saturday, May 12th, join CHSNE for a day exploring Chinese history in Providence! This is your opportunity to view the exhibition, speak with the curators, watch an excerpt of The Chinese Exclusion Act, and participate in a panel discussion on immigration. CHSNE is providing a complimentary bus service from Boston to Providence–available with tickets to the walking tour.
Providence’s Chinatown is curated by graduate students at the John Nicholas Brown Center for Public Humanities in partnership with CHSNE, with additional support from the Heritage Harbor Foundation, Taiwan Nexus Grant, and Rhode Island State Archives.