UC Berkeley Pathfinder Record
Title Kem K. Lee photographs and other materials, 1927-1986.
Author Lee, Kem K., 1910-1986. Description 3 cartons, 154 boxes, 15 oversize boxes, 1 oversize folder (73.75 linear feet) Notes The Kem Lee photograph collection, 1927-1986, contains Lee's photographs and other materials in subject files relating to his photojournalistic assignments and business advertisements for San Francisco Chinatown newspapers and includes photographs of the Miss Chinatown USA Pageant, community organizations, political activities, as well as formal studio portraits. Formats consist of photographs, contact sheets , transparencies, negatives, slides, 16mm reels, newspaper clippings, and materials related to the photographs. The collection also contains Kem Lee's personal self-portraits; photographs with his wife, Nanying Stella Wong (Stella Wong Lee); his family, friends; biographical materials, correspondance; and poetry. Kem Lee Studio business correspondence and records, layouts for advertising, reference materials for assignments, newspaper clippings, and miscellany are also inlcuded in the collection. There are a few photographs of documents that date from 1909 to 1920.
Kem Lee was born on October 1, 1910, in Taishan District, Guongdong Providence, China. In 1928, he arrived in the United States and later opened one of the first photography studios in San Francisco's Chinatown. Lee worked both as a studio photographer and photojournalist, documenting community and organization events, including serving as the official photographer of the Miss Chinatown USA Pageant. He married poet-artist Nanying Stella Wong. When he retired from professional photography in 1978, he concentrated on writing and publishing his poetry in various local Chinese language newspapers. Kem Lee passed away on October 2, 1986. He was also known as Lee Siu Yum, Lee Kim Kin, and Thomas K. Lee.
Finding aid available in the library and online.
Subject Headings Chinese Americans -- Pictorial works.
Chinese Americans -- Political activity.
Chinese Americans -- Societies, etc.
Chinese New Year -- California -- San Francisco.
Chinese Americans -- California -- San Francisco Bay Area -- Photographs.
Poetry, Chinese.
Beauty contests -- California -- San Francisco.
Chinatown (San Francisco, Calif.) -- Pictorial works.
Other Authors Wong, Nanying Stella.
Kem Lee Studio.
Lee Family Association (San Francisco, C.A.).
Location(s): Asian Amer AAS ARC 2006/1
Housed at Ethnic Studies Library.
Shelved at NRLF: box 1-box 65, box N1-box N87, box O1-box O6, carton 1-carton 3
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