small archive material related chinese american de tsiang hsi tseng (1 résultats)

Unbound. Etat : Near Fine. A small file of correspondence between Left-Wing Chinese-American author Hsi Tseng Tsiang and representatives of the A.C.L.U. attempting to have Tsiang released from Ellis Island, where he was being held for long overstaying his student visa, starting when he had attended Stanford starting in 1926. Tsiang wrote three proletarian novels, the best known being *The Hanging on Union Square* and *And China Has Hands*. Later in life he fashioned a career as an actor, appearing in *The Purple Heart, Tokyo Rose*, and *Oceans Eleven*, among others. A brief but interesting look at an undocumented immigrant Chinese-American with what must have seemed like questionable politics in a perilous time. The correspondence consists of: 1. Undated clipping from an unknown newspaper headlined: "Chinese Poet Happy On Ellis Island" about a visit made to Tsiang at Ellis Island where he was being held for deportation and expressing his concern that if returned to China he would executed by the Japanese occupiers, and including the text of a poem he wrote about his stay at Ellis Island. 2. Typed Letter Signed from Hsi Tseng Tsiang at Ellis Island to Mrs. H.G. Valentine in Huntington Long Island dated 10 March 1940. Folded as mailed, near fine, with original envelope, a bit roughly opened. In somewhat broken English Tsiang responds in the affirmative to another letter from Valentine (not present) agreeing to her suggestion that she intercede with Roger Baldwin at the ACLU to plead Tsiang's case. 3. Printed copy of a New York Times article (probably from a clipping service) on an 8.5" x 11" sheet from 22 October 1939 about Tsiang's internment at Ellis Island. Folded as mailed, near fine. On the verso is a Typed Poem *Epitaph* about Ellis Island and America, signed in type by Tsieng from Ellis Island. Old folds from mailing, small tear, near fine. 4. Typed Letter Signed on ACLU stationary by Roger Baldwin to Mrs. Valentine, dated March 28, 1940 enclosing a carbon copy (which is present) of a letter sent by Baldwin to the Commissioner General at Washington, pleading Tsiang's case, and soliciting a donation to the ACLU. Folded as mailed, near fine. 5. Carbon copy of a letter sent by Baldwin to the Commissioner General at Washington, pleading Tsiang's case (see #4 above). Folded as mailed, small tears, very good.