A Chinese community of merchants began to develop in Tucson, Ariz. in the later half of the 1800's. To maintain their ethnic identity, Chinese men met in tongs where they could follow their native traditions and speak of home. A similar organization, The Ying On Association was established in the 1930's to serve as a boarding house for single Chinese men upon arrival to Tucson, Ariz. It also served as fraternal organization for elderly Chinese men, and as a source of assistance for members with business problems. A more detailed history of this collection is included with the inventory at the repository.
From the guide to the Chinese Documents from Tucson, Arizona, collection, 1913-1968, (University of Arizona Libraries, Special Collections)
