Chinese Historical Society of Southern California

What Chinese Historical Society of Southern California does

Chinese Historical Society of Southern California (CHSSC) is a non-profit historical society founded in November 1975 and headquartered at the Chinatown Heritage Center—two restored Victorian homes at 411-415 Bernard Street purchased in 1989 in Los Angeles, California. Its mission is to preserve and communicate the heritage of the Chinese and Chinese American community in Southern California, serving community members and the general public, academic researchers and scholars, descendants of Chinatown families, and partner organizations including Chinatown associations.

Core offerings center on physical and digital archival services. The digital archives platform (chsscdigital.libraryhost.com), launched in March 2022, provides searchable access to photographs, documents, oral histories, and named special collections including Duty and Honor, Robert Nash, Evans-Chace, Patricia Etter, Julia Costello, Fritz, and High Lung Laundry, with select holdings mirrored at the USC Digital Library. Supporting infrastructure includes a physical CHSSC Library, the annual Gum Saan Journal scholarly publication, ArcGIS StoryMaps-powered online exhibits and virtual walking tours, an oral history project, and the Yosemite Pilgrimage. Distribution layers include a YouTube video archive, Eventbrite-managed ticketing, an online bookstore at store.chssc.org, and in-person programs (monthly dinners, walking tours, summer picnic, holiday open house). The site maintains WCAG 2.1 Level AA accessibility compliance with a dedicated accessibility contact. Academic partnerships with UCLA, Stanford, UC Riverside, and Carnegie Mellon/IMLS fund a visiting-scholar and intern pipeline.

Revenue is diversified across annual membership dues, individual donations (including a recent $50,000 building-restoration fundraising goal), episodic grants (California Humanities CARES Act example), event tickets ($40-$45 per dinner program; $20 summer picnic), and bookstore sales. The community-led go-to-market relies on dinner programs at the Golden Dragon Restaurant co-sponsored with The China Society of Southern California, walking tours, the Golden Dragon Parade (125th edition celebrated 100,000+ spectators), the Chinese Massacre of 1871 commemoration, the Yosemite Pilgrimage, and joint exhibitions with the Huntington Library, Huntington-USC Institute, and Metro Art. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors led by President Ricky Leo, with seven total staff.

Name

Chinese Historical Society of Southern California

Legal name

Chinese Historical Society of Southern California

Website

https://chssc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Chinese Historical Society of Southern California is a non-profit historical society founded in 1975 that preserves and communicates Chinese and Chinese American heritage in Southern California through digital archives, scholarly journals, walking tours, and community programming serving researchers, descendants, and the general public.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Heritage Preservation and Historical Society Services

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Libraries and Archives (51921), Museums (712110), Historical Sites (712120)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Museums & Heritage Sites (History, Science, Specialty) (BPAGAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Libraries, Archives & Special Collections (BPAGAHAF), Cultural Centers & Community Cultural Organizations (BPAGAHAD), Cultural Festivals & Events Organizations (BPAGAHAG)

Keywords

• Historical preservation services
• Cultural heritage education
• Archival collections management
• Community history programs
• Scholarly publishing

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees supporting the organization's mission and providing benefits to members
2. Donations and Fundraising: Individual donations including annual giving campaigns such as Giving Tuesday, with a recent $50K building restoration fundraising goal
3. Event Tickets: Ticket sales for dinner programs and special events, typically priced at $40-45 per person including dinner banquet
4. Bookstore Sales: CHSSC Bookstore (store.chssc.org) selling publications, books, and historical materials
5. Grant Funding: Grant funding from organizations such as California Humanities as part of CARES Act economic stabilization

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

CHSSC operates a Chinatown Heritage Center and provides digital and physical archival collections (Digital Archives, CHSSC Library, Oral History Project, multiple special collections), scholarly publications (Gum Saan Journal), online exhibits and virtual walking tours (ArcGIS StoryMaps), monthly educational dinner programs, guided Walking Tours of L.A. Chinatown, community events (Yosemite Pilgrimage, Ching Ming, Golden Dragon Parade participation), and historical preservation projects at sites including the Fritz Family Home, Evergreen Cemetery, and Old Los Angeles Chinatown. The organization's offerings are accessed through annual membership, event tickets, donations, and grants, and are supported by a volunteer and intern workforce in partnership with universities such as UCLA and Carnegie Mellon.

Product overview

Chinese Historical Society of Southern California operates as a nonprofit historical society promoting Chinese and Chinese American heritage in Southern California. The organization provides a unified portfolio of educational and archival services centered on its Chinatown Heritage Center, combining physical facilities with digital platforms. Core offerings include Digital Archives and Library collections, the Gum Saan Journal scholarly publication, Online Exhibits using ArcGIS StoryMaps technology, Walking Tours, and Regular Dinner Programs featuring guest speakers. Supporting services include preservation projects at historic sites like Evergreen Cemetery and Fritz Family Home, the Oral History Project, multiple special collections, and community events such as the annual Yosemite Pilgrimage. The organization reaches members through its News 'N Notes newsletter and Membership Program, with all services supported by volunteer and internship opportunities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Serving as a community sponsor for major commemorations including the Chinese Massacre of 1871 and Golden Dragon Parade

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Los Angeles Philharmonic AssociationminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 27 February 2024CHSSC board members attended Lunar New Year Concert at Walt Disney Concert Hall; LA Philharmonic Association reached out to promote cultural engagement.
• Santa Clarita Valley Historical SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 October 2023Co-organized the Vista Canyon Metrolink Station ribbon cutting ceremony and plaque dedication recognizing Chinese railroad worker contributions.
• The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical GardenscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 October 2023Collaborated on the 'Paintings in Print: Studying Art in China' exhibit (October 2023 - May 2024). CHSSC members attended programs and receptions at The Huntington.
• National WWII Museum (New Orleans)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 14 November 2021CHSSC board members attended Congressional Gold Medal ceremonies for Chinese American WWII Veterans at the museum.
• The China Society of Southern CaliforniacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing joint sponsorship of monthly dinner programs and educational events. Co-hosts events at the Golden Dragon Restaurant and collaborates on programming such as the annual Yosemite Pilgrimage.
• Huntington-USC Institute of California and the WestcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExhibition partner for 'Where You Stand: Chinatown 1880 to 1939' exhibit at Los Angeles Union Station (2024). Joint event celebration with Metro Art.
• Metro ArtcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaboration on exhibition programming including the 'Where You Stand: Chinatown 1880 to 1939' celebration at Los Angeles Union Station.
• UCLA Asian-American StudiescoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerHosts UCLA interns at the Chinatown Heritage Center. Collaborating on national community archives internship program with Carnegie Mellon and IMLS funding.
• Stanford University Chinese Railroad Workers ProjectminorOthersListed as a resource partner on CHSSC's scholarly resources page.
• East Wind FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProvided traditional lion dance performance for the 'Where You Stand' exhibition celebration at Union Station.
• MetrolinkminorOthersCollaborated on relocating historical plaques from Lang Station to the new Vista Canyon Multi-modal Station.
• Southern California Chinese Lawyers Association (SCCLA)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerAttended SCCLA's 48th Installation & Awards Banquet; shared organizational connections through legal community events.
• California State University L.A. - Asian and Asian American StudiesminorOthersListed as a resource partner on CHSSC's scholarly resources page.
• Chinese American MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoth organizations serve the Chinese American community in Los Angeles; listed as affiliated organization and resource.
• China Society of Southern CaliforniacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint dinner programs and collaborative events including History of Asian Studies in SoCal program featuring speakers from both organizations.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens: Large established cultural institution in San Marino, CA with broader collections across art, history, and gardens; comparable as a peer institution that has co-developed exhibits with CHSSC and shares the broader SoCal cultural-heritage audience.
• Autry Museum of the American West: Los Angeles museum covering the history of the American West with exhibits, educational programs, and events; relevant as a broader SoCal heritage institution whose operating model and audience overlap with CHSSC.

Direct peers

• Japanese American National Museum: Los Angeles-based national museum dedicated to Japanese American history with exhibits, walking tours (e.g., Little Tokyo), archives, and educational programs — analogous mission serving a different AAPI community in the same metro area.
• Chinese Historical Society of America: San Francisco-based historical society with a near-identical organizational model — museum, archives, research library, exhibits, and publications — focused on Chinese American history, directly comparable in mission and product mix.
• California Historical Society: Statewide historical society operating a library, archives, and publications around California history; comparable as a membership-based nonprofit historical society with scholarly publishing and exhibit programming.
• Museum of Chinese in America: New York-based museum and cultural center dedicated to Chinese American history with permanent exhibits, oral histories, walking tours, and a research center — a strong comparable in programmatic structure and audience.
• Wing Luke Museum: Seattle museum focused on Asian American Pacific Islander history with walking tours, exhibits, archives, and community-centered programming; comparable as an ethnic-heritage museum with similar community engagement model.
• Historical Society of Southern California: Regional historical society serving Southern California with publications, events, and archival collections; comparable in nonprofit, membership-driven operating model and regional heritage focus.
• Chinese American Museum: Located in Los Angeles Chinatown, the Chinese American Museum shares CHSSC's mission of preserving and interpreting Chinese American history in Southern California, making it the closest geographically and thematically aligned peer.
• LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes: Los Angeles-based cultural center and museum focused on Mexican American history and culture; comparable as a community-rooted heritage institution with exhibits, events, and educational programming in the same metro.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCW08j4AEWMzBWPUjvR2ZFlw
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chinese-historical-society-of-southern-california

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Chinese Historical Society of Southern California