California Story Fund
South Pasadena Oral History Video Project
South Pasadena Public Library
South Pasadena
Project Director: Rebecca Ryan
Documenting the history of Pasadena
Known for the number and quality of its Craftsman-style houses, South Pasadena has striven to preserve its character and history. Despite this, very little of the city's history has been documented over the past 30 years, including the influx of a significant Chinese population to the area. This project captured on video and audiotape oral histories of some of South Pasadena's Chinese-Americans residents, who currently make up some 25 percent of the population -- and also collected the histories of some older South Pasadena residents.
The stories were edited and placed on the library's local history digital archive. The website allowed users to view the stories, and to contribute their own. The library sponsored a community event to show the video and demonstrate how individuals can access historical information. "The aim of the project," said Rebecca Ryan, project director, "was to provide a more complete history of South Pasadena for current residents and future generations."