Munson Kwok collection
Content Description
Contains Munson Kwok's Chinatown Redevelopment Project meeting agendas, meeting minutes, correspondence, meeting notes, subcommittee reports, and project documents. The majority of records are meeting materials for the Chinatown Community Advisory Committee (CCAC) and its subcommittees, Chinese Cultural and Community Center of Greater Los Angeles (CCACC), as well as for the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA). Majority of documents are English-language documents with some Traditional Chinese versions attached.
Also contains materials related to Munson Kwok and his wife Suellen Cheng's other community activism and organizational work for Chinese and Chinese American (as well as other Asian American) organizations as well as activism within the Los Angeles Chinatown area.
Dates
- 1976-2014
- Undated
Language of Materials
Majority of collection is in English and Chinese.
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open to researchers and to the public for access. Please contact the Chinese Historical Society of Southern California for more information.
Biographical / Historical
Dr. Munson A. Kwok is a community leader and longtime advocate for Chinese Americans and Los Angeles Chinatown. He has served as president of the CHSSC, assisted and authored CHSSC publications and projects, and is also a CHSSC charter member. Along with being a fundamental part of CHSSC, he has also been involved with other Chinese American organizations such as the Chinese American Museum (CAM), Chinese Benevolent Consolidated Association (CCBA), and was the Grand National President of the Chinese American Citizens Alliance.
Dr. Kwok is also one of the earliest researchers in high-energy lasers working in the aerospace industry. Munson Kwok was born and raised in San Francisco, and he attended Stanford University from 1958 to 1968. After he graduated with his bachelor's, master's, and doctorate, he worked at Aerospace Corporation for over 35 years.
He is married to Suellen Cheng, who has also been involved with CHSSC's publications and projects, including being a contributor to "Linking Our Lives." She was founding curator of the Chinese American Museum, and Museum Director and Curator of El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument. She is past president of the Chinese American Citizens Alliance Los Angeles Lodge, and Historian for their National Board. Like Munson, she is also a charter member of CHSSC.
Extent
13.83 Linear Feet (Five bankers boxes (Box 1, 2, 3, 6, 7), one letter hollinger box (Box 5), two legal hollinger boxes (Box 4, 8), one Flip-Top roll storage box (Box 10), and two grey Barrier Board Drop-Front Oversize Print Box (Box 9 - large, 11 - medium).)
Arrangement
The records are arranged at file level and contain two series, including:
Series 1: Chinatown Redevelopment Project, subseries: CCAC Administrative Notes and Materials, CCAC Subcommittees, CCAC Subcommittees, Work Program, CRA Publications, Chinese Cultural and Community Center of Greater Los Angeles (CCACC), Projects, Chinatown Land Surveys;
Series 2: Community Event Programs and Materials.
The physical arrangement of the collection is based on the size and condition of the items, and folders within each box are arranged by series and in alphabetical order. The documents within each folder are generally ordered by date.
The boxes are as follows:
;
Box 1: Series 1 - CCAC Administrative Notes and Materials, Chinatown Project Area Committee (PAC);
Box 2: Series 1 - CCAC Administrative Notes and Materials;
Box 3: Series 1, Series 2 - CCAC Subcommittees, Community Event Programs and Materials;
Box 4: Series 1 - Work Program;
Box 5: Series 1 - CRA/CCAC Projects;
Box 6: Series 1 - CRA/CCAC Projects;
Box 7: Series 1 - Chinese Cultural and Community Center of Greater Los Angeles (CCACC), Chinatown Land Surveys CDs;
Box 8: Series 1 - Chinese Cultural and Community Center of Greater Los Angeles (CCACC) Central City North LA/DAPT Plan;
Box 9: Series 1 - Chinatown Land Surveys,
Box 10: Series 1, Series 2 - Rolled up posters - CRA/CCAC blueprints and graphics, performing arts and visual madia event posters;
Box 11: Oversize Materials Box, Newspapers.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Collection donated by Munson Kwok.
Condition Description
Papers are mostly in good condition, with some folds and wear. Some rust stains from paper clips and staples.
Processing Information
This collection was reprocessed in 2026 by community archivist Riona Tsai. It was previously arranged and processed, though it was not completely processed. There were a couple of boxes that had not been processed or not added to the initial finding aid.
It was previously arranged by the following series:
Series - Projects: Adult Day Healthcare Center, 1986; Alpine Recreation Expansion, 1987-1988; Angelina Terrace Housing, 1987-1989; Cornfield Preliminary Concept Plan, 1990; Chinatown Public Safety Association, 1986-1988; Chinese Cultural Center, 1984-1990; Dyasty Center, 1989 November-1990 April; Friends of Chinatown Public Safety Association, 1988; Grand Plaza, 1987-1989; Kaiser Mental Health Center Expansion, undated; miscellanenous invitations, 1986; newsletters and newspapers, 1986-1989; Ord Street Commercial Buildling, 1990; Orsini Project, 2001-2002; PAMC Nursing Facility, undated; Pasadena-Los Angeles Rail Line, 1986-1990; Proposed Guideline for Los Angeles Design Action Planning Team, 1990, November 1; Proposed Public Art Policy, 1990; St. Anthony's Croatian Church, 1990; Volunteers of America of Los Angeles, proposed community re-entry, undated; West Plaza, 1987 January; Work Program, 1984-1995.
Series -Committee and subcommittee meeting materials: Budget Subcommittee, 1986 November-1990 November; Chinatown Community Advisory Committee 1986-1990, 1999-2003, 2009-2011;
Housing and Planning Joint Subcommittee, 1987 January-1989 October; Housing
Subcommittee, 1986 June-1990 November; Multi-purpose Service and Cultural Facility
Subcommittee, 1986 September-1990 March; Planning Subcommittee, 1986 October-1990
November; Residential and Commercial Rehabilitation, 1987; Security Subcommittee 1986
July-1988 September; Transportation, Parking, and Public Improvements Subcommittee, circa
1980-1990.
Documents and newsletters related to the Chinatown Development Project was moved from the Lily Lum Chan Papers to the Munson Kwok Collection. CHSSC materials and documents that were related to Munson Kwok and Suellen Kwok, such as event programs and invites, that were located in other boxes in the archive were also movedinto this collection. Materials from this collection that were related to CHSSC were added to the CHSSC Institutional records.
Deaccessions include any excessive duplicates or materials with personal and sensitive information, two older California history textbooks (A child's history of California Enola Flower 1949 and California: The Story of Our Southwest Corner 1960), and documents related to Earth Day auditing for a Santa Monica apartment.
A poster for a "Linking our Lives" graphic was moved to the Southern California Oral History Collection.
- Agendas
- Blueprints
- Brochures
- Chinatown (Los Angeles, Calif.)
- Chinese American art
- Chinese American business enterprises
- Chinese American civic leaders
- Chinese American newspapers
- Compact Disks
- Deeds
- Maps
- Newsletters
- Presentations
- Preservation reports
- Publications
- Records and correspondence
- Research notes and studies
- Surveys
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Chinese Historical Society of Southern California Repository
411 and 415 Bernard Street
Los Angeles California 90012 United States
(323) 222-0856
info@chssc.org