The Georgia Historical Society (GHS) will dedicate a new historical marker recognizing “The Augusta Chinese and the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association” in partnership with the Augusta Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association (CCBA) on Friday, May 19, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. The historical marker describes the formation of one of the oldest Chinese communities in the eastern United States and the CCBA, the first incorporated Chinese organization in Georgia. The dedication is open to the public and will take place at 548 Walker Street in Augusta.

“We're proud that the CCBA has been part of the cultural experience of Augusta for nearly 100 years," said Gary Tom, CCBA President, whose great-uncle Sam Jue was a founding member. "This recognition by the Georgia Historical Society creates a lasting legacy that honors the first Chinese families who built their lives here in Augusta, who raised families here, and who became a vibrant part of this city.”

As a result of a civil war in China, the United States saw an increase of Chinese immigration by the 1870s. When the City of Augusta sought to widen and deepen the Augusta Canal, it contracted over 200 Chinese laborers in 1873 to execute the canal’s expansion. Many laborers remained, forming a community there. The Chinese Exclusion Act (1882) halted the immigration of Chinese laborers until its repeal in 1943, but because the act did not apply to merchants, Augusta’s established merchant-class community saw continued growth. The Chinese community in Augusta became the largest Chinese population in Georgia until the mid-twentieth century. Seeking an organized avenue for supporting the community, members founded the Augusta CCBA, later incorporated in 1927, which remains active in Augusta.

To learn more about the “The Augusta Chinese and the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association” historical marker, please contact Keith Strigaro, Director of Communications at the Georgia Historical Society, at 912-651-2125 ext. 153 or [email protected].