Chinese Immigration in Silver City
Presented by Dr. Karen Leong
May 20, 2026 - 12pm - 1pm
Global Resource Center, ABC Room
Dr. Karen Leong shares her research on Chinese immigration and the Chinese American community in Silver City. Learn about this chapter of our local history.
Continuing the Silver City Museum's Land, Labor, and Legacy Community Conversation series, Dr. Karen Leong presents her research on Chinese immigration and the Chinese American community in Silver City. Discover the often-overlooked stories of Chinese immigrants who came to work the mines, run businesses, and build lives in Grant County. This conversation sheds light on an essential chapter of our local history and the lasting contributions of Chinese Americans to our region.
Dr. Karen J. Leong is an associate professor of history at the University of New Mexico. In her teaching and research, she focuses on 20th century U.S. social and cultural history, with a focus on nationalism, borders, and citizenship as articulated through popular culture, immigration policy, and social formations at the intersections of race/ethnicity, gender, sexuality, socioeconomic status, and other social factors. Dr. Leong is also a contributing author on Chinese immigration in Southwest New Mexico to "Unpacking Silver City: Revealing the Rich Tapestry of a Historic Town," which was published in 2025 by Mimbres Press.
This program is part of the Silver City Museum's Community Conversation Series offered in partnership with the Western Institute of Lifelong Learning (WILL).
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