NEW YORK: CHINATOWN, 1896. – View of Mott Street, the main artery of New York City’s Chinatown. Drawing, American, 1896. Fine Art. Encyclopædia Britannica ImageQuest. Accessed Nov 21, 2019.
https://quest.eb.com/search/140_1676073/1/140_1676073/cite.
Author: Todd Lloyd
Interviewer: Chris Koban
The completion of the Transcontinental Railroad in 1869, allowed Chinese immigrants to leave western America where they were severely segregated against. Many of these Chinese immigrants found themselves in New York City, eventually creating a neighborhood that was predominantly Chinese, Chinatown.
Similar to other areas of New York, gang activity began in Chinatown. The Tongs were formed, and they had two sections: Hip Sing Tongs and the On Leong Tongs. Despite the illegal activities the Tongs carried out, the gangs were mostly a positive resource to it’s members and others in Chinatown, alike.