Robert A. Nash Collection
Scope and Contents
This collection includes Robert Nash's field notes, letters,artifacts, photographs, oral histories, drawings, clippings, photocopies, and publications on Chinese American maritime activities, the execution and evolution of Chinese commercial fishing activities, and general Chinese American history in California. The bulk of the collection comprises Nash's course papers/lectures, draft of his dissertation, and collected articles research materials: including reports, interviews, and statistical/population surveys about Chinese communities in both the Northern and Southern California area. The research also includes research on the following locations: Chinatowns in Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco; San Diego County, Mariposa County, Tuolumne County, Trinity County, Siskiyou County, Marin County, as well as miscellaneous materials on the Chinese in Oregon. In addition, the collection contains photographs and negatives, as well as physical artifacts found from Chinese fisheries in the San Pablo Bay area, near San Francisco, which Dr. Nash collected throughout his research process.
Dates
- 1860 - 1975
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for qualified researchers.
Biographical / Historical
As Charter Member number one, Robert A. Nash was instrumental in starting the Chinese Historical Society of Southern California (CHSSC) in 1975. He was born in Bellefontaine, Ohio in 1915. During the 1950s to the early 1960s he conducted fieldwork for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in Italy, Turkey, Portugal and Greece.
He then attended Pasadena City College and went on to receive his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees from California State University at Los Angeles. He earned his doctorate from the Geography Department at UCLA in 1971. His dissertation, The Chinese Shrimp Fishery in California, is a seminal work in Chinese American history and geography. According to Dr. Nash, "The major objective of the research...is a contribution to the history of this ethnic minority's participation in the development of the State that has heretofore been slighted." Nash spent many years methodically detailing and writing about Chinese fishing activities and watercraft, especially California-built Chinese junks and sampans.
Dr. Nash passed away in Sierra Madre, California in 1976. Afterwards, his notes, letters, artifacts, photographs, oral histories, drawings and publications were donated to CHSSC.
Extent
6.38 Linear Feet (Six bankers boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Robert Nash was a PhD student at the University of California, Los Angeles conducting research on Chinese fisheries and related industries in the 19th century. Shortly after he earned his doctorate in 1973, Nash died and left his papers to the Chinese Historical Society of Southern California. His incredible organization, and fastidious research make this a rich collection on Chinese fisheries, canneries, abalone, shrimp, squids, junks, and sampans. This collection includes Nash's notes, letters, artifacts, photographs, oral histories, drawings, clippings, photocopies, and publications on Chinese American maritime activities, the execution and evolution of Chinese commercial fishing activities, and general information about Chinese immigrant populations in California.
Arrangement
Materials are arranged by topic into four series: 1. Writings, circa 1952-1969; 2. Research Materials, circa 1880-1969; 3. Correspondence, 1968-1975; and 4. Artifacts and Realia, circa 1888-1970. Each series are divided into subseries by content type, and the four series are arranged by order of level of interest to potential researchers: Series 1A. Publications, 1B. Unpublished Writings; and Series 2A. Field Notes, 2B. Articles, 2C. Bibliographies, 2D. Interviews, and 2E. Visual Materials. Series 3 (Correspondence) and Series 4 (Artifacts and Realia) do not have subseries.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Received as a donation from Nash and his family in 1976.
Processing Information
Processed by Ann Lau, Susie Ling, Gilbert Hom, and Laura Ng with funding from a National Endowment of the Arts grant.
Many of the loose paper materials are in their original folders and retain their original folder titles and organization.
- Title
- Robert A. Nash Collection
- 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