The Dallas Asian American Historical Society has been devoted to conserving the history of Asian Americans in North Texas by way of accumulating and digitizing their tales.
Despite containing a large number of Asian American history, North Texas lacks documentation in this subject.
Stephanie Drenka based the Dallas Asian American Historical Society in April 2022 as a 501(c)(3) non-profit group to keep Asian American history.
“When people think of Asian American history, they often think of it happening on the West and East Coasts,” stated Drenka.
The tales about Asian Americans within the Southern and Central areas of the rustic are incessantly left untold, developing an opening that the Dallas Asian American Historical Society goals to fill.
Since its established order, the Dallas Asian American Historical Society has accrued dozens of reports, together with pictures, artifacts, and interviews. They scan and keep those ancient paperwork, from particular person participants of the group to households and eating places prior to they’re misplaced by way of time.
Drenka’s non-public tale impressed her to pursue this paintings. Adopted at 3 months previous from South Korea, her beginning dad or mum tale used to be shrouded in thriller. After 5 years, Drenka discovered her organic circle of relatives in 2012.
“My beginning mom advised me that it used to be my beginning father who compelled her to relinquish me as a result of he sought after a son. And when she used to be within the health center conserving me, she stated that she had sought after to carry me till she died. His mom took her out of her hands and gave me to the social employee,” Drenka stated.
Through this revel in, Drenka discovered that once history is not preserved, it may possibly fade away and be misplaced perpetually.
Among the numerous virtual collections on the Dallas Asian American Historical Society, Yung Nam Park’s tale sticks out. Born in 1937 in North Korea, he fled to the USA after struggling thru harsh stipulations throughout the Japanese career and the following Korean War. Now 86 years previous, he tells his tale intimately, emphasizing the will for Asian immigrants to have a spot they may be able to name ‘house.’
Park’s management and legacy had been preserved within the society’s archives, and his interviews and images are available to the general public throughout the society’s web site. The Dallas Asian American Historical Society hopes to magnify extra tales of Asian Americans within the Dallas space with more than one upcoming initiatives.
If you’ve pieces to give a contribution to the archives, please seek advice from the Dallas Asian American Historical Society web site.