This collection is comprised of photographs, correspondence, press clippings, typescripts, and other material pertaining to the history of Chinese life and culture in California and other areas in the western United States. Topics covered include the study and preservation of regional Chinatowns (including the Riverside,California Chinatown), scholarly research on various aspects of Chinese history and culture, and the lives of Chinese residents in different communities. Photographic and print materials document the construction of railroads, agricultural labor, the Gold Rush, and life in multiple Chinatown locations. This collection also includes material pertaining to the Chinese Historical Society of Southern California.