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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Created1865-03-28
DescriptionRecords for the ship Encarnacion, which brought Chinese settlers from China to Cuba under contract with La Alianza. On this trip, the Encarnacion brought nine settlers from China to work for Pedro Reinaldo.
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Created1857
Description
Ship manifest on a shipment of Chinese settlers in the Spanish ship “Encarnacion” from Swatao City. List of the 316 Chinese settlers in Havana. 1855. General information to the Captain of the island that has hired a boat to bring Cuba Chinese settlers. List of the 365 boarding Chinese settlers

Ship manifest on a shipment of Chinese settlers in the Spanish ship “Encarnacion” from Swatao City. List of the 316 Chinese settlers in Havana. 1855. General information to the Captain of the island that has hired a boat to bring Cuba Chinese settlers. List of the 365 boarding Chinese settlers in Havana in the American ship “Florida”, from Swatao from 1857
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Created1861
Description

Ship manifest of the Spanish ship “Encarnacion”. General information to the Captain of the island that has hired a Spanish ship to bring Cuba Chinese settlers; some official communications on the authorization of the shipment; document the Spanish Consulate in Macao on cargo; boarding list of the 289 Chinese settlers

Ship manifest of the Spanish ship “Encarnacion”. General information to the Captain of the island that has hired a Spanish ship to bring Cuba Chinese settlers; some official communications on the authorization of the shipment; document the Spanish Consulate in Macao on cargo; boarding list of the 289 Chinese settlers in Macao; boarding list of the 289 Chinese settlers received in Havana; record to investigate the conditions under which they have been hired Chinese settlers

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Created1861
Description

Three separate records from the Church of San Juan Bautista for the burial to three Chinese settlers. Each burial was paid for by the owner of the settler One burial was for Encarnacion and paid for by his owner, Carlos Ortiz. The second settler's burial was paid for by the

Three separate records from the Church of San Juan Bautista for the burial to three Chinese settlers. Each burial was paid for by the owner of the settler One burial was for Encarnacion and paid for by his owner, Carlos Ortiz. The second settler's burial was paid for by the Matanzas Railroad Company. The third, Leoncia's burial was also paid for by the Matanzas Railroad Company. 1866.

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Created1865
DescriptionRecords for the ship Encarnacion, which brought Chinese settlers from China to Cuba under contract with _____. On this trip, the Encarnacion brought at least 268 settlers from China to work. Eleven of them were hired by Joaquin Marquez at the Trinidad factory.
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Created1865
Description
This is an example of a type of cedula that was issued for domiciled Chinese settlers and Yucatecs, and this cedula in particular was issued for a Chinese settler named Santiago. Santiago was 34 years old at the time that this cedula was issued for him, and he was employed

This is an example of a type of cedula that was issued for domiciled Chinese settlers and Yucatecs, and this cedula in particular was issued for a Chinese settler named Santiago. Santiago was 34 years old at the time that this cedula was issued for him, and he was employed as a fieldworker for Agustin Ferran. Other details regarding his origin in China as well as basic physical descriptions were included in the document. 1865.
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Created1867-01-06
DescriptionThis is the first labor contract that between a Chinese settler named Eleuterio, also known as Santiago, and his owner, Don Juan. The term of the contract was for one year. This document is signed by the governor of Colon, Don Juan and Eleuterio. 1867.
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Created1866
DescriptionA contract between Santiago, a Chinese settler, and Julian Aranga. The contract to last for one year and lists the legal requirements of both the employee and the employer. Signed by Julian Aranga, Benardo Martinez, and Santiago, who signed in Chinese.
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Created1874
DescriptionDeath certificate for Panteleon, a Chinese immigrant. He died in the Hospital de Saint Phillip and Saint James.
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Created1874
DescriptionThis is a death certificate for Jose, a Chinese settler, who died in the Hospital of Saint Philip and Saint James in Havana.