Heinlen Award

The Chinese Historical and Cultural Project presents the Heinlen Awards to individuals outside the Chinese-American community who work with CHCP and serve as “bridges between peoples.” The award commemorates John Heinlen, a local businessman who stood fast against public opinion and helped the Chinese rebuild after a disastrous fire destroyed San Jose Chinatown in 1887. This last San Jose Chinatown became known fondly as Heinlenville.

RECIPIENTS INCLUDE:

2016 Heinlen Award:  Dr. Barbara L. Voss

Dr. Barbara L. Voss is an Associate Professor of Anthropology at Stanford University, where she is also affiliated with the Stanford Archaeology Center, the Center for the Comparative Study of Race and Ethnicity, the Program on Asian American Studies, and the Program on Urban Studies. Dr. Voss is a historical archaeologist who studies the dynamics and outcomes of transnational cultural encounters. Since 2002, CHCP has enjoyed a partnership with Dr. Voss on her research on the Market Street Chinatown Archaeology Project, a study of San Jose’s first Chinese community. As a result, the Chinese American Historical Museum displays many catalogued and researched items from the Market Street Chinatown that are cross-referenced and coded to the Stanford Digital Exhibit, “There was a Chinatown Here”. Dr. Voss has also collaborated with CHCP on Public Archaeology Days at History Park with Stanford students to conduct hands-on demonstrations of excavations, screenings, artifact identifications, and artifact reconstructions.

2011 Heinlen Award:  2011 Staff of History San Jose

Alida Bray, CEO/President and Staff

2002 Heinlen Award:  Dr. Martha Kantor, De Anza Community College President

2001 Heinlen Award:  Mike Honda, U.S. House Representative

U.S. House of Representative for California, 15th District, the Honorable Michael Honda, was presented with the 2001 Heinlen Award for his continued support of CHCP. He has attended past Festivals and participated in the fashion show at CHCP’s 10th anniversary Dragon Ball. In Congress, he has pressed for Japan’s acknowledgement of the Rape of Nanking atrocities during World War II.

1999 Heinlen Award:  Christian Jochim, CHCP member of Board of Directors

Chris Jochim, a CHCP board member, has been a CHCP supporter since the first Chinese Summer Festival, when his wife, Bau Chin, recruited him to help her with the children’s activities. As chair of CHCP’s Education Committee, Chris has helped distribute CHCP’s Golden Legacy curriculum to Santa Clara Valley schools and helped educators use these lesson plans. He was instrumental in obtaining a Hewlett-Packard Silicon Valley Grant in 1999 for the production of a CD-ROM version of the Golden Legacy materials. Chris is director of the Center for Asian Studies and heads the Comparative Religions Studies Program at San Jose State University. He has authored Chinese Religions: A Cultural Perspective in the Prentice Hall Series of World Religions.

1998 Heinlen Award:  Duane & Marlene Heinz, and Alexander Weiss

Duane and Marlene Heinz have been longtime CHCP supporters and have worked tirelessly to make CHCP’s Chinese Summer Festivals a great success. They served on the Board of Directors. They also participated vigorously in other projects, such as the “Reflections of the Chinese Exclusion” display, part of the community program in the “Respect Diversity: Learn from the Past & Forge the Future” exhibit in 1996. Duane is a chemistry professor at Foothill/DeAnza College and was a longtime advisor to the DeAnza College Chinese Students Club.

Alexander Weiss brought to public awareness the historical and cultural significance of the Angel Island Immigration Station’s Detention Barracks and the many Chinese poems carved upon its walls. He helped save it from destruction, resulting in its status today as a National Historical Landmark. Now retired, Weiss was State Park ranger for 17 years, serving and living on Angel Island from 1970 to 1974. Alexander Weiss was born in Vienna, Austria and came to this country in 1940 at the age of four. He was active in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's.

1997 Heinlen Award:  1997 Staff of San Jose Historical Museum, City of San Jose (now History San Jose)

Mignon Gibson, Director
Monte Duran, Events Coordinator
Virginia Beck, Education Director
Sara Heigho Nunes, Curator
Nancy Valby, Curator

1996 Heinlen Award:  Irene Rutledge, CHCP Webmaster, 1995-10/2001

1995 Heinlen Award:  Dave Thomas

The 1995 Chinese Summer Festival marked the presentation of the first annual Heinlen Award to Dave Thomas, owner and founder of the East West Kung Fu School. Dave’s interest in the art and culture of Asia is evident in his enthusiasm, which spearheaded the reconstruction of the San Jose Dragon, the Dragon of Heart's Delight.