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Identifier
LeeWellington_2008_CRP
Description
In his interview, Wellington Lee gave a glimpse of his family, and his life in and out of Chinatown. He first gives a detailed history of the migrations of his family into the United States and when his Mother and Father were born. He also talks about where his family is from in China. Salinas was where his Grandfather moved and started his family business. The family home on Soledad St. and the memories it held were special to Mr. Lee. His Grandfather, Shorty Lee, was an important figure in Chinatown and owned a shop in the family home. Chinatown was also full of cultural celebrations and other ethnic groups coming to gamble in the pool halls. Mr. Lee’s experience with his education was a positive one and while he did attend Chinese school for a couple years he excelled in his American schooling. He attended college but took a leave of absence to enlist in the army. He was trained at Fort Ord and then stationed in Alaska. After college, Mr. Lee got a job writing for Bank of America in San Francisco. After he retired he returned to Salinas to write more about history. Mr. Lee became active in the local Chinese community and started working on revitalizing Chinatown. Students were also able to ask questions to Mr. Lee and he was able to give more descriptions of his family life and history.
Interview Date
10-3-2008
Interviewer
Rina Benmayor; HCOM 350S
Geographic Coverage
Salinas (Calif.)
Subjects
Chinatown (Salinas, Calif.); Chinese American families; Gambling; Tongs (Secret societies); Community development, Urban; Cultural pluralism
Type
Moving Image
Genre
Oral histories
Digital Format
video/mp4
Language
eng
Digital Collection
Chinatown Renewal Project
Repository
Archives & Special Collections of California State University, Monterey Bay
Disclaimer
These oral histories express the personal views, memories, and opinions of the interviewee. They do not represent the policy or views of California State University, Monterey Bay.
Recommended Citation
Lee, Wellington and California State University, Monterey Bay, "Interview with Wellington Lee" (2008). Chinatown Renewal Project. 12.
https://digitalcommons.csumb.edu/ohcma_chinatown/12
Rights Statement
