Presentation: Chinatown Tour: The Real and The Fake

Thursday, 6/26/2025
2:00 - 3:30
North Beach Library Community Room
North Beach

850 Columbus Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94133
United States

415-355-5626

Following the 1906 Earthquake, members of San Francisco's “Chinese Colony” reinvented their community as a fantasy land that catered to White tourists. This mysterious, exoticized and neon-lit ghetto was a deliberate strategy for collective survival. Dr. Tong's presentation will take us on a guided tour of "Chinatown after dark." The "Fake" version (1950s-1970s going forward) will be contrasted with the "Real" script (present day). Emphasis on how the "Real," while generally truthful, is uninformative -- lacking in cultural and historical understanding.


About the Presenter: Benjamin R. Tong, PhD. Emeritus professor, Clinical Psychology PsyD Program, California Institute of Integral Studies, SF.  Retired faculty, Asian American Studies Dept., San Francisco State University.  Author. Psychotherapist / psychoanalyst. Raconteur. Cabaret singer. Thespian (acting, directing and writing). 
 
 

Community & Neighborhood

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History

Learn more about local history.

Chinese American Interest

Connect to engaging discussions and performances related to the Chinese American community.

Spotlight

This program is sponsored by Friends of the San Francisco Public Library.

Attending Programs

All programs are drop-in (no registration necessary) unless otherwise noted. All SFPL locations are wheelchair accessible. For accommodations (such as ASL), call (415) 557-4557 or contact accessibility@sfpl.org. Requesting at least 3 business days in advance will help ensure availability.

This program will be conducted in English unless otherwise noted.

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