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[–] frailsnail [S] 0 points 3 points 3 points (+3|-0) ago (edited ago)
Edit: The Chinese theater, in 1903, also had a performance benefit dedicated to support its neighboring Jewish population. The money went to victims of the Kishinev pogrom
The Chinese Theater opened in 1893 and was located at 5-7 Doyers St. Doyers Street is one of the few crooked streets in NYC and was known as the “Bloody Angle” for a very good reason. More on that later. The theater was immensely popular when it opened and was frequented by tourists and residents alike for the exotic allure. However, its success didn’t last long. Not long after its opening, in 1905, a gang related gunfight occurred on the site.
From NYT, August 7th, 1905:
“Three Chinamen were killed and possibly a score wounded with bullets in the Chinese Theater at 7 Doyers Street last night. The Hip Sing Tong (gang) league of so called ‘reformers’ of whom Mock Duck is leader, fired upon the On Leong Tongs, of whom Tom Lee is leader. Mock Duck, who has been figuring in the courts and police cases for months, was arrested. Two of the Ong Leong Tongs charged him with engineering the slaughter.”
Not long after, another gunfight occurred.
From NYT, November 6th, 1909:
“Two on Leong Merchants Shot Down by a Party of Four as They Leave the Theatre.
The Tong war in Chinatown, which has been expected to break out daily for months, with the result that there has been an exodus of Chinese from the district within that time, started last night. Two members of the Four Brothers’ Society, or the See Sing Tong, as it is known to Chinese, shot two members of the On Leong Tong, mortally wounding one of them and cripple the other, Both may die of their injuries.”
Because of the violence inside and outside the theater, ticket sales dwindled and eventually, the theater closed down in 1911, never opening again. There’s no plaque, currently, on that same building where the theater was first opened dedicated to its history.
Now, elaborating a bit on Manhattan’s Chinatown and my personal interest in the area.
American born Chinese, long term NYC resident here. I’m an avid fan of the city’s history and the picture above is part of a larger history that I’m even more fascinated with – the history of Chinese in America, before, during, and after the Chinese Exclusion Act. Manhattan’s Chinatown’s “main street” is indisputably Mott St. Chinatown has always been a space for Chinese immigrants/descendants to gather. Racism against the Chinese was rampant during the time and it ultimately culminated in the Chinese Exclusion Act. This left a small Chinese population in America (mostly centered in San Francisco and Manhattan) vulnerable. Organizations like the CCBA (Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association) were established as a result to help the existing population. It still exists today.
But, like the articles above implied, Chinatown was a rowdy area filled with gang warfare, opium dens, brothels, and more. Yet, there was an exotic nature that attracted visitor. Asian American cuisine started because Westerners wanted to eat something foreign, yet businessmen/restaurateurs knew that authentic food would turn guests away (Search for General Tso’s really goes in depth). Currently, the gangs still exists, though not as noticeable as it was back then in the 1900s to 1970s. Food is much more authentic and there’s a shift in the regional population that’s immigrating over. Other Chinatowns in outer boroughs have sprung up as the original location in Manhattan is becoming more expensive.
Highy recommend listening to the Bowery Boy’s podcast about Chinatown, they’ll provide so much details about specifics I can’t get to.
The Search For General Tso is a documentary, currently on Netflix, that was very entertaining and informative. Personally enjoyed it
Here’s a picture from 1900 of Doyers Street
Here’s a modern/contemporary picture of the same street
[–] someguyfromcanada 0 points 3 points 3 points (+3|-0) ago
Here is a picture from the Library of Congress.
And here is a nice photo essay from one of my favorite sites.
[–] frailsnail [S] 0 points 2 points 2 points (+2|-0) ago (edited ago)
Your photo finding skills are unparalleled. Let me bask in your glory.
That photo essay was nice and I came across it while doing some research for this! Unrelated, but seriously proud that I can kinda recognize all those stores in the pictures. Shame I didn't eat at all those restaurants, though.