Contributed by Maine Historical Society
Description
While major American cities like San Francisco, Seattle, New York, and Boston were home to large Chinese populations in the early twentieth century, Chinese people in the entire state of Maine totaled little over one hundred, most of whom operated laundries.
Toy Len Chin (1892-1993) of Guangdong, China moved Maine at the age of 29, three years after her 1919 proxy marriage to Dogan Goon, a laundryman from Portland. While she waited for her new husband to be able to afford to arrange their travels to America, she hand stitched her trousseau—including four “mud silk” suits she brought with her to Maine in 1921.
Toy Len’s immigration as a Chinese woman was a rarity, because the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882—which barred Chinese immigration—was still in place. Chinese people already in the U.S. could stay, but were prohibited from becoming U.S. citizens, and from bringing wives and families to America to join them. Non-citizens who left the U.S. could not return.
About This Item
- Title: Toy Len Goon and Dogan Goon, Portland, 1922
- Creation Date: 1922
- Subject Date: 1922
- Location: Portland, Cumberland County, ME
- Media: Photographic print
- Local Code: Pamphlet 3165
- Object Type: Image
Cross Reference Searches
Standardized Subject Headings
- Chinese Americans -- Maine -- Portland.
- Chinese Americans--Maine--Portland
- Chinese--United States
- Goon, Toy Len, 1892-1993.
- Immigrants--United States--Maine
- Laundries--Maine--Portland--Equipment and supplies
- Mothers -- Maine -- Portland.
People
Other Keywords
For more information about this item, contact:
Maine Historical Society485 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101
(207) 774-1822 x230
Website
The copyright and related rights status of this item have not been evaluated. Please contact the contributing repository for more information.
Please post your comment below to share with others. If you'd like to privately share a comment or correction with MMN staff, please send us a message with this link.
