Our mission is to provide resources and support for the local Asian, South Asian, Pacific Islander American community, and increase the visibility and representation of the Asian American diaspora in Evanston’s civic, cultural and community spaces through the arts.
Historical Archive
Historical Biographies
Since 2022 we have been working to research and share the history of Asian American residents in Evanston. ​ This territory, rich and full of important biographies and stories, has heretofore largely been unmined.​ The Placemaking Project set out to correct and expand the historical record, adding to its pages the remarkable stories of ASPA residents in Evanston.​
One of the project's first uncovered narratives focuses on Wong Aloy, one of the earliest recorded ASPA residents in Evanston. You can read his story below.
A Portrait of Wong Aloy: A Chinese Immigrant's American Journey
Author’s Note:
Wong Aloy was many things; a man of letters, a merchant, a playwright, an immigrant, an interpreter, a brother, an uncle, a husband, a son. His life and career in the United States provide a fascinating portrait of an immigrant from China; his experiences, triumphs, and tragedies constitute a significant narrative. His life was woven by the multiple threads related to numerous issues facing immigrants from China in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. After he came to the U.S., he lived in San Francisco, the territory of Montana, Evanston, Chicago, New York, and El Paso. He was deeply impacted by white Americans’ attitudes toward and treatment of Chinese immigrants - both positively and negatively - and he was fully enmeshed in the Chinese immigrant community.
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Wong lived in Evanston for about five years and the experience had a major impact on his life. Wong’s life after he left Evanston was so compelling that I could not help but trace the larger events that constituted that portion of his life, astonished as I pieced together the range of his experiences. More research into Wong Aloy’s biography is needed. But for now, here is part of his story.
Click below to download and read the full article "A Portrait of Wong Aloy: A Chinese Immigrant’s American Journey"
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Wong Aloy
Chicago Record, November 21, 1894
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Wong Aloy (1868-1922) was one of the earliest recorded ASPA residents in Evanston
Students
The 1924 Johnson Reed act was the culmination of decades of intentional exclusion of Asian immigrants in the U.S. That law formalized a ban on immigration from most Asian countries and prohibited Asian immigrants from becoming naturalized citizens. While the exclusion laws barred immigration, exemptions were made for some: including students. In early 20th century many people from ASPA countries came to Evanston to attend school. Here are a few of their biographies. We will add more to the site as research continues.
