Bao Chau

22 March 2025

Over the past decade, American Chinatowns have seen increasing pressures of displacement from corporations and city governments. In major U.S cities, from San Francisco all the way to New York City, some of the most vibrant communities and tourist attractions are the Chinatowns. Countless people every day stop by for authentic dim sum, affordable dumplings, and beautiful ancient Chinese architecture. Chinatowns are beloved communities not only among Asian-Americans, but people from all backgrounds. However, Chinatowns all over the U.S. are under the threat of losing their communities. Thus, Asian-Americans need to use their voice to protest against displacement. 

Chinatowns were originally formed as safe havens for Asian migrants who came to America. In the 1800s, Chinese laborers encountered widespread violence and discrimination due to the increasing competition for gold in California, and thus, they banded together to create Chinatowns for their safety [21]. As Chinese laborers were blamed by Americans for stealing gold and jobs, Anti-Asian rhetoric gained legislative power, when in 1882, the U.S. passed the Chinese Exclusion Act, stopping Chinese migration into the country [10]. Though it was meant to restrict Chinese migration, it set a precedent that would restrict additional Asian ethnicities from coming into the U.S too [8]. These policies would stagnate the progress of Chinatowns. Fortunately, in 1943, the legislation was repealed due to U.S. war allyship with China in World War II [9]. Thus, as Asians were allowed to migrate to the U.S again, Chinatowns grew. 

A defining feature of Chinatowns, both in the 1800s and today, is the reliance on small businesses. When it was difficult for Asians to find work in industries like agriculture and manufacturing, they turned to entrepreneurship and opened restaurants, stores, and laundromats [21]. A poll from the Pew Research Center found that thirty percent of Asian-Americans view owning a business as essential to their American Dream [16]. Furthermore, eleven percent of all small businesses are owned by Asian-Americans, which is a larger portion than all other minority groups in the U.S. [9]. Evidently, small businesses are essential to the identity of Chinatown communities. 

However, this means that Chinatowns can be easy victims of gentrification when they have to compete with large corporations. According to the National Geographic Society, “Gentrification is a demographic and economic shift that displaces established working-class… communities of color in favor of wealthier newcomers and… companies” [12]. Such was the main issue of concern when, in July 2022, the Philadelphia 76ers—an NBA team—proposed building their new basketball arena next to Chinatown [14]. In a community dominated by small businesses selling four-entree platters for seven dollars, many worried that the arena would drive up rent prices too high for members of the community to pay. 

This was not an isolated event. In Washington D.C., the Washington Wizards, another NBA team, built their basketball arena right next to the capital’s Chinatown. Since then, small Chinatown businesses have been driven out and replaced by corporate chains like Chick-fil-A, Clydes, and Five Guys [7]. Therefore, a community that once had 3,000 residents during its peak now has only 300 since 2017 [7]. What happened in D.C’s Chinatown could very likely have happened to Philadelphia’s Chinatown too. 

In fact, Philadelphia’s Chinatown residents and people from all over the city protested to protect their community from the Sixers. However, in December 2024, City Council members approved the development of the new basketball arena with a twelve to five vote in favor. The development was also publicly supported by Philadelphia mayor Charelle Parker [14]. Fortunately, the 76ers managed to strike a deal with Comcast, and have chosen to build their new arena away from Chinatown [11]. Though Philadelphia’s Chinatown won the battle, it was clear that it did not have the support of its own local government. 

The Sixers vote was not the only time the Philadelphia government neglected its Chinatown. In 1966, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation expanded the Vine Street Expressway that tore down Chinatown houses and physically divided the community’s area in half. Fortunately, the consequences of the project were minimized due to activists like Cecilia Yep, who lobbied and protested against the city [5]. The Sixers arena proposal marks just one of many instances in which the Philadelphia government has deliberately prioritized projects that went against the will of the Chinatown, threatening the homes and businesses of one of Philadelphia’s most vibrant communities. 

This is a pattern across all Chinatowns. In the 1950s, construction of the Boulevard of the Allies destroyed a part of Pittsburgh’s Chinatown, causing its decline [17]. Currently, New York City’s Chinatown is fighting against the development of one of the nation’s largest jails, which would be built right in their community [9]. These occurrences imply that local governments do not have concern for the people of their Chinatowns, and thus, no respect for the voices of Asian-Americans. 

When it comes to issues of displacement, Chinatown communities can only rely on themselves for help. Time and time again, city governments have shown that they do not support Asian-Americans in the fight to preserve their communities. More projects that threaten the livelihood of Chinatowns will continue, and thus, Asian-Americans need more representation in politics to speak out against these issues. Despite being six percent of the U.S. population, Asian-Americans make up less than one percent  of elected officials [1]. Factors like the model minority myth serve as barriers, as Asian-Americans are encouraged to always be obedient to authority, to be silent when it comes to politics, and to be successful… but only when it comes to STEM careers [2]. Being a community with language barriers and a history of political tensions, Asian-Americans are hesitant to use their voices for activism. When older generations are traumatized with events like the Tiananmen Square Massacre [4] and the Khmer Rouge genocide [3], it becomes easy to internalize an avoidance of politics. 

Without the support of local governments, more Asian-Americans need to advocate for the preservation of Chinatowns, especially when only a fraction of the ethnic population is willing to protest against harmful constructions. In order to tear down stigmas that discourage Asian-Americans from using their voice, Asian-American history should be taught more frequently. In Philadelphia, African-American history is a mandatory high school course, tearing down oppressive anti-Black stereotypes among students and teachers [6]. Teaching African-American students about Black accomplishments and figures empowers them to stand up against injustices within their community, and thus, similar approaches can be done for Asian-Americans. 

Encouraging Asian-Americans to be civically engaged goes beyond protecting Chinatowns. Since the COVID-19 pandemic that was first discovered in China, about one in every three Asian-American knew another Asian-American who was a victim of a hate crime [18]. Students at Philadelphia’s Central High School were victims of these incidents, and in response, established an AP Seminar Asian-American Diaspora course [13]. The program is a two-period course that would take up an elective and an English class, replacing it with a course that focuses on readings from Asian authors [13]. On a larger scale, the Teaching Equitable Asian American Community History Act (TEAACH) was passed in 2021, incorporating Asian-American history in Illinois public schools in order to encourage API representation and reduce Anti-Asian hate [20]. Since then, 6 more states have implemented this policy [19]. Teaching Asian-Americans about their own history of accomplishments and struggles will encourage them to be more involved in political and social issues. Not all curricula will be the same, but what matters is the exposure to Asian philosophers, authors, poets, and politicians. This would destroy stereotypes of Asian-Americans as doctors and engineers. Though they are a minority, Asian-American students and teachers should push for this agenda within their own schools. Then, hopefully, there would be recognition of the need to implement such courses across most states. 

These lessons will also help non-Asians be more appreciative of Asian culture and communities and gather support against gentrification and discrimination. If more government officials are exposed to the history of Asian-Americans, they would have a better understanding as to how important ethnic spaces like Chinatowns are, not to just Asian-Americans but to the history of America in general. Chinatowns have to rely on the Asian community to survive, simply because the majority of people who understand its value are Asian. Looking forward, while Asian students and teachers push for their history to be taught in their local communities, there is optimism for a future where Asian-American stories are told as a crucial part of the nation’s history. 

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Works Cited

[1] “#advanceaapipower: Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Political Leadership.” Wholeleads.us, May 13, 2024. https://wholeads.us/research/aapi-political-leadership/. 

[2] Blackburn, Sarah-Soonling. “What Is the Model Minority Myth?” Learningforjustice.org. Accessed January 25, 2025. https://www.learningforjustice.org/magazine/what-is-the-model-minority-myth. 

[3] Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Khmer Rouge.” Encyclopedia Britannica, January 28, 2025. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Khmer-Rouge.

[4] Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Tiananmen Square incident.” Encyclopedia Britannica, February 7, 2025. https://www.britannica.com/event/Tiananmen-Square-incident. 

[5] “Cecilia Moy Yep.” Philadelphiaaward.org. Accessed January 25, 2025. https://www.philadelphiaaward.org/winners/cecilia-moy-yep/. 

[6] Cohen, Amy. “More than a Month: The Importance of Teaching Black History Year-Round.” hiddencityphilla.org, February 23, 2021. https://hiddencityphila.org/2021/02/more-than-a-month-the-importance-of-teaching-black-history-year-round/. 

[7] Chan, Joey. “Gentrification in Washington D.C. Chinatown: Consequences on Asian and Chinese Americans, Marginalization and Displacement.” Virginiapolitics.org, November 27, 2023. https://virginiapolitics.org/online/2023/11/27/gentrification-in-washington-dc-chinatown-consequences-on-asian-and-chinese-americans-marginalization-and-displacement#:~:text=D.C.%20Chinatown%2C%20with%20up%20to,deteriorate%20and%20displace%20Chinese%20businesses. 

[8] Chang, Rachel. “How American Chinatowns Emerged amid 19th‑century Racism.” History.com. Accessed January 24, 2025. https://www.history.com/news/american-chinatowns-origins. 

[9] Chen, Stefanos, and Mable Chan. “Anger in Chinatown over a Huge Jail Project: ‘We Are the Dumping Ground.’” Nytimes.com, April 1, 2024. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/01/nyregion/jail-construction-chinatown-manhattan.html#:~:text=The%20block%2Dwide%20Chinatown%20jail,a%20spokesman%20for%20Gramercy%20Group. 

[10] “Chinese Immigration and the Chinese Exclusion Acts.” History.state.gov. Accessed January 24, 2025. https://history.state.gov/milestones/1866-1898/chinese-immigration. 

[11] Dale, Maryclaire. “Philadelphia Mayor Announces New Plan to Keep 76ers Arena in South Philadelphia, Pursue WNBA Team.” Apnew.com, January 13, 2025. https://apnews.com/article/philadelphia-76ers-nba-new-arena-chinatown-b8fc96e0f153d745ace62f1aba4d39b0#:~:text=PHILADELPHIA%20(AP)%20%E2%80%94%20The%20Philadelphia,a%20WNBA%20team%20to%20Philadelphia. 

[12] “Gentrification.” education.nationalgeographic.org. Accessed January 25, 2025. https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/gentrification/. 

[13] Liao, Amy. “At Central, Students Win the Fight for Asian American Studies.” acel-moore.com, March 15, 2022. https://acel-moore.com/2022/03/06/students-won-their-fight-to-bring-an-asian-american-studies-course-to-central-high-school/#:~:text=The%20club’s%20cabinet%20brainstormed%20with,is%20an%20act%20of%20love.%E2%80%9D. 

[14] Moselle, Aaron. “How the Sixers Arena Proposal Went from a Done Deal to a Stunning Reversal.” Whyy.org, January 17, 2025. 

[15] Moselle, Aaron, and Tom MacDonald. “Sixers Arena Approved: After Protesters Removed from Chambers, Philly Council Gives Final OK.” Whyy.org, December 19, 2024. https://whyy.org/articles/philadelphia-sixers-arena-vote-city-council/#:~:text=After%20protesters%20removed%20from%20chambers,to%20approve%20Sixers’%20arena%20proposal. 

[16] Leppert, Rebecca. “A Look at Small Businesses in the U.S.” Pewresearch.org, April 22, 2024. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/04/22/a-look-at-small-businesses-in-the-us/#:~:text=Smaller%20shares%20were%20majority%2Downed%20by%20Asian%20Americans,and%20Black%20or%20African%20American%20adults%20(3%).&text=For%20example%2C%2030%%20of%20Asian%20Americans%20say,conducted%20from%20July%202022%20to%20January%202023. 

[17] “Pittsburgh’s Historic Chinatown.” secretpittsburgh.pitt.edu. Accessed January 25, 2025. https://secretpittsburgh.pitt.edu/sp/node/711. 

[18] Ruiz, Neil G., Carolyne Im, and Ziyao Tian . “4. Asian Americans and Discrimination during the COVID-19 Pandemic.” pewresearch.org, November 30, 2023. https://www.pewresearch.org/race-and-ethnicity/2023/11/30/asian-americans-and-discrimination-during-the-covid-19-pandemic/. 

[19] “Statement from Committee of 100 on Delaware Requiring Asian American and Pacific Islander History to Be Taught in Public Schools.” committee100.org, October 7, 2024. https://www.committee100.org/media-center/statement-from-committee-of-100-on-delaware-requiring-asian-american-and-pacific-islander-history-to-be-taught-in-public-schools/. 

[20] “Teaach Act.” advancingjustice-chicago.org, December 5, 2024. https://advancingjustice-chicago.org/teaach/. 

[21] Yee, Karen. “Gold Mountain and beyond: A History of Chinatowns in the United States.” Gold Mountain and Beyond: A History of Chinatowns in the United States, January 31, 2022. https://savingplaces.org/stories/gold-mountain-and-beyond-a-history-of-chinatowns-in-the-united-states.