The Southern Oregon University Laboratory of Anthropology (SOULA) has received an award from the National Trust for Historic Preservation for its collaborative work with other agencies on the Chinese Diaspora Project.
The Chinese Diaspora Project is a wide-ranging effort to research and document the lives of Oregon's early Chinese immigrants.
SOULA and other entities collaborating on the project received the National Trust Historic Preservation (NTHP) Award for Federal Partnerships in Historic Preservation during a recent conference in Washington, DC. The NHTP is a privately-funded nonprofit organization that works to save historic places nationwide and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) is an independent federal agency -- the two entities partner in presenting the award.
SOULA works on the ongoing project with agencies including Medford District of the Bureau of Land Management, Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest, Oregon State Parks, Oregon Historical Society and the Portland Chinatown Museum.
Researchers are using local history and public archaeology to challenged dated stereotypes and highlight the transnational lives of the Chinese immigrants and Chinese Americans who helped establish the early infrastructure and economic industries of Oregon. The project has included digging, interpreting and touring of numerous sites around the state where Chinese immigrants worked and lived.
The Federal Partnerships award was one of nine awards presented at this year's PastForward conference to honor those who excel in preservation.
