Professor Pens Book on History of Denver's Chinatown

Dr. Jingyi Song, a professor in the History and Philosophy Department at SUNY Old Westbury, recently wrote her new book, "Denver’s Chinatown 1875-1900: Gone But Not Forgotten." The book, published by Brill, is a culmination of her research, and personal experiences, and covers the complexities of race, class, immigration, politics, and economic policies that influenced early Chinese settlers in Denver.

“When I came to the United States in 1987, Denver was my first stop,” Dr. Song said of her passion on the topic. “A former professor of mine at the University of Denver suggested I research the experience of other Chinese Americans in the area, which was the basis of my thesis and later research for this book."

According to the publisher, the book explores the coming of the Chinese to the Western frontier and their experiences in Denver during its early development from a supply station for the mining camps to a flourishing urban center. The Denver Riot, as a consequence of political hostility and racial antagonism against the Chinese, transformed the life of Denver’s Chinese, eventually leading to the disappearance of Denver's Chinatown.

Written for students and scholars interested in social sciences, “Denver’s Chinatown 1875-1900: Gone But Not Forgotten" may be purchased on Brill’s website.

Song, a resident of New York City, earned her Ph.D. from the City University of New York, her M.A. from the University of Denver and her B.A. from Beijing University of Foreign Studies. Her academic research interests focus on the transnational identity of Chinese Americans. Her first book, "Shaping and Reshaping Chinese American Identity: New York's Chinese in the Years of the Depression and World War II," received an ACPSS Outstanding Academic Research Award.

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