[Fengcheng Historical Association] The earliest document of the Chinese ancestors of Arizona (1)

[Fengcheng Historical Association] The earliest document of the Chinese ancestors of Alberta (1) Phoenix Zhang Zhaohong The earliest statement…

Phoenix Zhang Zhaohong The earliest statements made by Arizona’s Chinese-American found. This is the earliest document with photos of the Chinese ancestors of Alberta that can be found so far. The time is May 3, 1894. A certificate of entitlement to return to the United States in the future issued by Henry Brachman, the tax collector of Portland, Oregon, to Sing Kewong, a resident of Phoenix, Arizona - No. 127865. The function of this document is equivalent to the current "Reentry Permit". The original English text of this document titled "Declaration" is as follows:

The Chinese translation of the document is as follows: Declaration Pursuant to the treaty concluded on March 17, 1894, signed on December 7, 1894, and ratified and issued by the President of the United States of America on December 8, 1894, between the United States of America and the Empire of China, Registering Chinese workers to return to China with the intention of returning to the United States is in compliance with the regulations promulgated by the Department of Commerce and Labor on February 5, 1906. Sing Kewong (Chinese transliteration of Sing Kewong, attached video) hopes to leave the United States and return to China and plans to return to the United States. At the request of Kuang Sheng and in accordance with the corresponding Sino-US treaty, Henry Brachman, the tax collector of Portland, Oregon, issued a certificate of right to Phoenix to return to the United States – No. 127865 – on May 3, 1894, along with two copies of his photo and a complete description of his personal, family, property and debts owed to him in the United States. As follows: Name: Sing Kewong Age: 39 (currently) Height: 5 feet 5 inches Eye color: Brown Skin tone: White Local residence: British Kitchen, North First Street, Phoenix, AZ Occupation: Chef (at a restaurant called British Kitchen) Distinguishing Mark: Mole in front of left ear Who owes him money and amount: Charlie Bound, Phoenix, AZ $360.00 Yu Sheng (transliteration), Phoenix, Arizona $585.00 Cheng Long (transliteration) Phoenix, Arizona $399.00

As we all know, the US government signed the "Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882" (Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882). Why were there still Chinese people who could obtain documents to return to the United States until 1894? Will Kuang Sheng really return to Phoenix City in the future? We will continue in the next issue. (This article thanks Deng Hongyue, chairman of the Phoenix Overseas Chinese Federation, for his assistance, and Mr. He Leping, a researcher at the Arizona State Library, for his translation)