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The Chinese Immigrants in Cuba collection includes hundreds of original documents, manuscripts and photos covering the migration of 125,000 Chinese who signed up to be cheap labor in Cuba from 1847 until the later 1890s. The archive continues until the 1970s and records the Chinese community in Cuba and is rich with photos. This massive collection, from the archive of James and Ana Melikian Collection, is probably the largest one in private hands concerning Chinese in Cuba. At present, the physical collection contains over 1,341 records and about 8,000-9,000 pages.

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Request to Terminate Eight Year Contract

Created1858-02-12
Description
This was a request written on the behalf of Eloy- a Chinese settler, who having just won 1,000 pesos in a lottery was seeking to buy out his eight year contract with D. Joaquin Garcia Anguerica for the 219 pesos needed to do so. The request spurred a lot of…

This was a request written on the behalf of Eloy- a Chinese settler, who having just won 1,000 pesos in a lottery was seeking to buy out his eight year contract with D. Joaquin Garcia Anguerica for the 219 pesos needed to do so. The request spurred a lot of conversation between Spanish officials in Cuba about whether or not Eloy's request could legally be granted; there were concerns about his minor status and about some contradictions between articles 27 and 28 of the cedulas, and the seventh clause within the contracts. Ultimately, Eloy's request was not granted.
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Hiring Document

DescriptionThis is a document hiring Chinese settlers for public work projects. Not dated.
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Permanent Residency

Created1867
DescriptionRelates that Federico, a Chinese settler, was granted permanent residency in Cuba after fulfilling the legal requirements. He worked for the Gran Azucaria, a sugar cane producer.
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Application Documents for Permanent Residence/Contract

Created1865
DescriptionThis file includes several document. One of them is a contract written in both Spanish and Chinese. According to the contract, Xie Tian was willing to go to Cuba as a worker. So he was requested to sign the contract and should follow the rules listed on it.
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Cedula

Created1864-12-16
Description

This is an identity card, known as a cedula, that was issued for a Chinese settler named Lucas. At the time that this cedula was assigned to Lucas, he was 29 years old, and in the process of completing his eight year contract as an indentured servant. The names of…

This is an identity card, known as a cedula, that was issued for a Chinese settler named Lucas. At the time that this cedula was assigned to Lucas, he was 29 years old, and in the process of completing his eight year contract as an indentured servant. The names of two of his past landlords and his current one were listed on the cedula. Originally, when he arrived in Cuba, his contract had been transferred to M. B. Pereda who then transferred the contract to Juan Peyra. Jose M. Criado was Lucas's present owner at the time that this cedula was issued. Havana, 1865.
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Identity Record

Created1861-01-02
DescriptionAn identity card, or cedula, for Proto. Proto was 33 years old when this card was issued.
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Shipping Record

Created1864-06-30
DescriptionRecords for the ship Alfonso de Albuquerque, which brought Chinese settlers from China to Cuba. On this trip, the Alfonso de Albuquerque brought settlers from China to do fieldwork.
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List of Contracted Chinese Workers

Created1864
DescriptionList of 47 Chinese settlers brought to Cuba on the ship "Auguste y Gustave" they were hired to work on the Ingenio Faith in 1864.
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List of Contracted Chinese Workers

Created1863
DescriptionPaper and hiring of 25 Chinese Settlers brought to Cuba aboard the Italian ship "Queen of England" They were hired to work on the field in 1864 and then contracted by Jose Antonio S. Argudin and Pedro Morales in August 1865.
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Contract

Description

Permission to enter the island of Cuba in a shipment of Chinese settlers in the English ship “Carpentaria.” Contractual printed in Chinese and Castilian.