Chinese Society of Staten Island

The Chinese Society of Staten Island is a Chinese American nonprofit community organization based in Staten Island, New York City. It grew out of informal gatherings among Chinese families who settled on Staten Island in the 1950s and 1960s, and was formally constituted in 1971 as the Chinese American Club of Staten Island, with Margaret Marr elected as its first and founding president. The organization is known in Chinese as 史德顿岛华人协会 (also rendered 史德顿岛华侨组织), reflecting the Chinese name it has adopted for itself. The Society's core activity from the beginning has been the Chinese Language School, started in 1972 with volunteer teachers and initially hosted in classrooms at St. Mary Catholic Church in Mariners Harbor, then moved in 1973 to St. John's Lutheran Church on Manor Road. Over the decades the Society has served as a hub for Chinese cultural celebrations, community gatherings, and mutual support for Chinese families on Staten Island. It is a registered nonprofit (NPO) and maintains a mailing address at P.O. Box 140098, Staten Island, NY 10314, with a physical location at 614 Richmond Rd., Staten Island, NY 10304. The Society publishes bulletins and news, organizes events, and recognizes community honorees — for example, its 2018 honoree was Mr. Frank Lin and family. Its website also hosts listings and advertisements from Chinese-language professional and business sponsors, including insurance agents, medical practitioners, real estate agents, and contractors serving the Chinese-speaking community in Staten Island and Brooklyn. In this way the organization functions not only as a cultural and educational association but also as a community information and networking platform for Chinese Americans in the New York metropolitan area.

The Chinese Society of Staten Island traces its origins to the early 1950s, when Chinese families began settling on Staten Island in significant numbers. In 1949 Margaret and Gilbert Marr moved to Staten Island; Gilbert was an engineer and Margaret a schoolteacher. Four years later, Thomas and Betty Marqueen, another engineer and his wife, moved into the same housing project on Manor Road. These two warm and friendly families, with two and four boys respectively, reached out to every Chinese person they met in stores, on the ferry, and on the street, planting the seed of what would become a community club. In 1955 the Marrs bought a house and turned it into a welcoming place for the Chinese friends they made, including Allan and Allison Lee, T.G. and Rupin Li, Young and Judy Eng, and Felix and Henriette Tchang. By 1969 the group had regular organized activities resembling a club. By 1971, families including Bernard Wu, David Yang, F.H. Lin, Francis Shek, K.H. Ta, Charles Wang, Paul Hsu, M.S. Lee, Kee-In Chan, Ruth Lin, and Ellen Wu were serving as volunteer teachers, with seventeen members joined. In that year the Chinese American Club of Staten Island was formally formed and a constitution was drafted. Margaret Marr was elected the first and founding president and served until 1975. In 1972 the Chinese Language School was started with the help of Dr. Felix Tchang and Anthony Lee, who secured classrooms at St. Mary Catholic Church in Mariners Harbor. Anthony Lee, Mrs. Peter Shek, Chin Hwa Ta, Ruth Lin, and Ellen Wu were volunteer teachers for seventeen pupils. In 1973 Margaret Marr negotiated with her parish and moved the classrooms to St. John's Lutheran Church on Manor Road, a more central and convenient location. The club also held all its activities and celebrations at the Lutheran Church. By 1974 the club had grown substantially and gained wide recognition by the local community. The organization continued to operate as a community hub for Chinese Americans on Staten Island, maintaining the Chinese Language School and organizing cultural celebrations. It is now known as the Chinese Society of Staten Island and operates as a nonprofit (NPO). Its website lists a physical location at 614 Richmond Rd., Staten Island, NY 10304, and a mailing address at P.O. Box 140098, Staten Island, NY 10314. The Society publishes bulletins and news, hosts community events, and recognizes honorees; its 2018 honoree was Mr. Frank Lin and family. The website also features advertisements and listings from Chinese-speaking professionals and businesses serving the community, including insurance agents, physicians, real estate agents, and contractors, reflecting the Society's broader role as a community information platform.

• 2018

  Mr. Frank Lin and family recognized as honorees.

• 1974

  Club grows substantially and gains wide recognition by the local community.

• 1973

  Classrooms moved to St. John's Lutheran Church on Manor Road; club activities and celebrations held there.

• 1972

  Chinese Language School started at St. Mary Catholic Church in Mariners Harbor with volunteer teachers and seventeen pupils.

• 1971

  Chinese American Club of Staten Island formally formed; constitution drafted; Margaret Marr elected first president.

• 1969

  The group has regular organized activities like a club.

• 1955

  The Marrs buy a house and turn it into a welcoming place for Chinese friends.

• 1953

  Thomas and Betty Marqueen move into the same Manor Road housing project, expanding the informal Chinese community.

• 1949

  Margaret and Gilbert Marr move to Staten Island, planting the seed of the future club.

A grassroots Chinese American nonprofit community and cultural organization serving Staten Island and the wider New York Chinese-speaking community.

• Chinese Language School

  Language school started in 1972 with volunteer teachers, serving Chinese American children on Staten Island.

• Community bulletins and news

  Regular publications keeping members informed about events and community matters.

• Membership program

  Membership application available through the organization's website.

1. 1chinesesocietyofstatenisland.comchinesesocietyofstatenisland.com
2. 2History – chinesesocietyofstatenisland.comchinesesocietyofstatenisland.com
3. 3Locations – chinesesocietyofstatenisland.comchinesesocietyofstatenisland.com
4. 4Resources – chinesesocietyofstatenisland.comchinesesocietyofstatenisland.com
5. 5Chinese Society of Staten Island – Wikidatawikidata.org