Arena Clippings (packet), 1999-12

This collection consists of various materials resulting from Yoland Skeete-Laessig’s work on the book “When Newark Had a Chinatown: My Personal Journey”, as well as her fight to save the historical area of Chinatown from being redeveloped as an arena. There is also some material from her career as one of the founders of the art gallery Sumei Multidisciplinary Arts Cente.

Much of Skeete-Laessig’s research was donated to NYU (see Related Materials). However, this collection contains some valuable oral histories and photographs of historical Chinatown (series 5). It also contains materials from Skeete-Laessig’s research (series 1, 2 and 4) on Chinatown and several events she was able to stage to honor Newark’s Chinatown (series 3, series 5). Another important subject of the collection is the fight to prevent the building of Prudential Arena in the area that was historically Chinatown (series 5, separated materials). Lastly, Series 3 touches on some of the other art events held at Sumei and in the wider Newark community