First Ever Filipino American Historic Site Dedicated in Stockton

By May Chow
AsianWeek Staff Writer

Hundreds crowded onto one city block in downtown Stockton, Calif. Saturday, Oct. 26, to witness the final stages of the nation’s first-ever Filipino American historic site. Lamppost banners and markers now greet cars and pedestrians as they pass through four city blocks known as the Little Manila Historic Site.

After years of community solidarity and effort, the Stockton City Council officially designated the four blocks — bounded by Center, El Dorado, Lafayette and Sonora streets — as a historic site in the fall of 2000. And on Saturday, the landmark site came into fruition with a dedication ceremony by Mayor Gary Podesto and a handful of state and local politicians, followed by daylong festivities.

“This area, especially the areas around Lafayette and El Dorado streets are reminders of our history and community,” said Dawn Mabalon, chair of Little Manila Foundation, a nonprofit organization that works to preserve Filipino history in Stockton. “Today we are reclaiming a small patch of land that our forefathers lived and breathed years ago.” Mabalon, whose roots are in Stockton, fought back tears as she spoke to the crowd about the importance of the site and the day. Mabalon’s group was one of many organizations fighting to preserve Little Manila, including an unsuccessful campaign to stop the demolition of an area of old buildings, known as the Gateway Project, to make way for gas stations and fast-food chain restaurants.

The Manuel Rojas Color Guard, Post No. 798.

“In the 1960s and 1970s, many protested and fought against the Crosstown Freeway, which ripped through Little Manila and disintegrated Chinatown,” Mabalon said. “I wanted something that showed the importance Little Manila had on the Filipino community, and the importance it has today.”

The years between the 1920s and 1970s, the city of Stockton saw its highest concentration of Filipinos. Filipinos were at the heart of the area’s multimillion-dollar asparagus and agriculture industry. During this period, businesses and entertainment outlets thrived in the downtown area, which later came to be known as Little Manila. Discrimination forced many Filipinos to spend time in this hub and develop it into a bustling community they could call their own. It was a place where walking down the streets at night was safe, where Filipinos didn’t have to dodge signs that read, “Positively No Filipino’s Allowed” and “No Dogs and No Filipinos Allowed.”

As longtime residents spoke about their memories and childhood of Little Manila, many addressed the blatant discrimination toward the Filipino American community.

Eighty-seven-year-old Antonio Cabalo, who came to the event with his nephew, Rich, listened intently to the speakers. Cabalo emigrated from the Philippines when he was 14 years old to find work to support his family back home. He remembers that the first day he set foot in Stockton, he was carted off to an asparagus field.

Asuncion Guevarra Nicholas holding one of the Little Manila signs, with a photo of her when she was 16.

Cabalo was part of the manong, “older brother” generation. From the 1920s through the 1940s, the Filipino community in America was mainly young men living in a bachelor society. Cabalo did not get married until he was 59 years old.

“I lived and worked in Stockton all my life,” said Nicolas who attended the day’s festivities, recalling past memories with old friends and young children. “I went to college in San Francisco, met a guy, got close-eyed and got married in 1933. We lived in San Francisco for a short time, but we came back to Stockton.

Nicolas was married to her husband, Sixto, for 55 years. He passed away 14 years ago, but her face beams when she speaks of her six children, 14 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren. An old photograph of Nicolas, when she was 16, is one of the images on the banners that line the streets of Little Manila.

Today, Filipinos make up the largest Asian Pacific American community in San Joaquin County. Filipino Americans are the third largest minority group in the state and the second largest APA group in the nation.

Reach May Chow at mchow@asianweek.com.