Insights into president Ulyssess S. Grant’s relationship with China and other stories, including Chinese Americans serving in the Civil War.

The speaker line up will open your eyes to interesting, definitely little know stories.

An Interview in the podcast series by Mary Sit, bringing forth insights about the Asian American Community.

“Landscapes of Community.” Neighborhood and ethnic enclave community formation. My lecture focused on the historical factors that impacted the city since the mid-1850s, including stories of St. Louis’ Chinatown, Chinese immigrants and Chinese Americans in St. Louis.

This lecture was a part of Ampersand course, which is a two-semester experience available to first year students where they take 2 courses, one in the fall and one in the spring, that each connect in some intellectual or scholarly way. This course is part of the “American Stories” Ampersand, which examines landscapes of American urban spaces. In the first semester students explore a variety of American cities and in the second semester (this course), they study St. Louis.

Faculty member: Elizabeth Eikmann

Part 2 of a 2-Part Interview with the popular podcasters, Gen and Ted Lai.

Part 1 of a 2-Part Interview with the popular podcasters, Gen and Ted Lai.

The book launch of The Wonder and Complexity of the 1904 World’s Fair.

I have a section in the book where I reveal some untold stories of Chinese people who faced prejudice and even arrest during this celebration of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition and a coming out party for St. Louis and the United States.

An introduction and presentation to the RACE FORWARD - Facing Race 2024 St. Louis Cultural Bus Tour. 3 bus loads!!

Our tour stop provided insights to some St. Louis Asian American History with storytelling and some sampling of food, including the St. Paul Sandwich, a St. Louis legend. My presentation focused on St. Louis’ Lost Chinatown, which was directly across the street from my station.

Participatory Futures: Movements Toward Collective Design Agendas: For current and future design agendas, how can a multiplicity of perspectives be heard? Reflecting on an era in which design agendas have been produced from top-down processes, what are contemporary methods for a participatory future? Can future design agendas move toward a more inclusive process?

A Panel Discussion, moderated by Linda Samuels, WashU, with panelists:

• Lois Conley, The Griot Museum of Black History

• Peter Tao, TAO+LEE

• Stefani Weeden-Smith, St. Louis Anchor Action Network

• Aaron Williams, 4TheVille; Sumner High School Advisory Board

A presentation to the Landmarks Association membership, enlightening them on the history and architecture of Chinese Americans in St. Louis, with a focus on St. Louis’ Lost Chinatown, the 1950s-60s Urban Renewal impact in St. Louiis, World’s Fair stories, and more.

Hidden Histories: Landscapes and Streetscapes with Racial and Ethnic Legacies: I presented an overview of the history of St. Louis’ Lost Chinatown and how its demolition was in part due to the failing urban environment, the Urban Renewal movements of the 1950-60s and a clear lack of representation (and appreciation) of the Chinese American and other Asian communities.

This national conference of the National Alliance of Preservation Commissions (NAPC), focused on the issues facing local historic preservation boards and commissions. My messaging was that as Preservationists, while the saving of the building is of course key, that the preservation of the stories of the lives within the buidling and neighborhood is of equal importance to tell.

https://www.napcommissions.org/

A Centennial Celebration about Valhalla Cemetery (St. Louis) was created by AACS / Asian American Civic Scholars and co-hosted by Valhalla Cemetery. The relevance of this “100th” Anniversary is not that the cemetery is that old (1911 was its first intement) but that it is the anniversary of when the On Leong Merchants Association advocated and was able to purchase a plot of land to bury local Chinese. The reason? Due to discrimination, most locations rejected Chinese to be buried. The On Leong were seeking a place because a century old cemetery that had accepted Chinese , Wesleyan Cemetery, was closing.

Earlier news coverage by KSDK about AACS early efforts, https://youtu.be/A6ykuRgP-OM?si=FexGbvGjr30-GtJ3

AACS Fundraising effort to place a marker at the site, https://www.gofundme.com/f/preserving-chinese-gravesites-at-valhalla

I was asked to make some remarks about how this Valhalla research and recording was an important part of the Missouri Historical Society Chinese American Collecting Initiative. I also serve as

A forum at the Missouri History Museum that included an AAPI panel discussion and a Community Resource Fair sharing local history and artifacts. 

A special screening of the documentary film, Photographic Justice-The Corky Lee Story, hosted by Asian American Civic Scholars and OCA Advocates St. Louis. Special remarks by Eric Lee, NPR photojournalist, about his coverage of AAPI topics and the importance of representation. 

On May 4, 2024 we conducted the inaugural Missouri History Museum bus tour visiting Chinese American Historical sites, which included our downtown Lost Chinatown and Valhalla Cemetery, one of the few cemeteries to accept Chinese for burials. 

“St. Louis’ Chinese American community traces its roots to the arrival of the first Chinese immigrant in 1857. This tour follows the intriguing path of succeeding generations of Chinese Americans who, despite discrimination and legal barriers, prospered and influenced our region’s culture from local food favorites to the built environment.” (Missouri Historical Society)

This 3rd annual Be Heard Women in Leadership Conference focused on Asian American Women and the “bamboo ceiling.”

https://www.slu.edu/business/centers/emerson-leadership-institute/womens-leadership-conference/2024.php

I was asked to be the Emcee of the event and to provide some introductory remarks.

The documentary “Far East Deep South” will be shown and discussed by producer Baldwin Chiu. The film tells his own family’s search for their roots in the Mississippi Delta, during the era of racial segregation. Park Ranger Nick Sacco will provide a historical background on U.S. laws restricting Chinese immigration. Peter Tao, a leader of the local effort to record and share Chinese American history in St. Louis, will contribute to the discussion about the importance of uncovering and sharing the past you never knew. The program concludes with a reception at 5pm.

This event is presented by the UMSL Department of History, UMSL Global, and Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site.

The first AAPI HERITAGE CELEBRATION by the St. Louis Cardinals, presented by the VERY ASIAN FOUNDATION.

https://www.veryasianfoundation.org/news/stlouiscardinalsaapi

I was priviledged to be honored along with a distinguished group, by the Very Asian Foundation.

https://www.veryasianfoundation.org/

A forum at the Missouri History Museum that presented the roles and achievements of AAPI in the architecture and engineering professions in St. Louis. I was there to present about William Tao, my father, who was an accomplished engineer and a prominent leader in the Chinese American Community, as well as to provide some insights on the challenges during the mid-20th century.

Immigrating to the U.S. in 1949 to attend the graduate engineering program at Washington University (St. Louis), he would often be the lone, Asian American in the room, or at the table. It would not prevent him from his dreams of having a business and pursuing engineering excellence.

An ongoing Kalamazoo College, Mellon Grant supported student field trip, place-based learning program to St. Louis and a visit to the Missouri Historical Society to research and learn about cultural heritage history, historical issues, and how to search for information.

It has been wonderful to see Universities, such as Kalamazoo Colleger, encouraging and integrating this area of learning. More importantly, introducting the students to community efforts.

On this evening our St. Louis CITY SC MLS football club celebrated AAPI Hertiage Month. As part of their partnership with Enterprise Mobility, they also honor an Exceptional Neighbor. I was honored to be picked.

https://www.stlcitysc.com/exceptionalneighbor#peter-tao

But what was more important to me was that I was able to represent the AAPI community, speak a little during an interview and more importantly, the AAPI community came out together to be seen and heard. In particular, the wonderful OCA Advocates St. Louis “Fan” club.

A special invitation to present the History of the Chinese American in St. Louis to the office of the FBI, to not only enlighten them about this local history, but some of the historical root policies that have shaped and impacted the views of Chinese Americans. 

An annual AAPI Celebration at St. Louis City Hall, presented by the Recorder of Deeds, to recognize the diversity of leaders in the St. Louis area.

I was priviledged and humbled to be honored.

2023 INTERNATIONAL STUDIES DAY: An Introduction to International focused organizations in the region, with a panel presentation and discussion at Southen Illinois University Edwardsville, IL. I was providing insight into OCA Advocates St. Louis and the importance for AAPI representation.

A Diversity Month presentation at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Dr. Min Liu is a committee member and contributing member of the Missouri Historical Society Chinese American Collecting Initiative.

An AAPI Lunar New Year celebration at the Missouri History Museum to introduce the public to AAPI Culture about this annual celebration. 

A Community Project that was envisioned by me, where I co-led the effort to assemble a consortium of professionals, contractors and suppliers to help build a sports facility for this school. This field project and public awareness eventually took me to pursuing the documentary film, DAY ONE. 

“Local architect Peter Tao of TAO + LEE Architects and a member of the St. Louis Mosaic Project Steering Committee, whose parents are also immigrants to the U.S., is active in welcoming new Americans. He recognized that PLAY in general, and soccer specifically could smooth the traumatic past and pave a new future for these children. PLAY breaks down social barriers. Tao recognized that the playing services at NCNAA needed a lot of help for kids to be able to play safely. All kids should have a decent place to play.” (STL Mosaic Project)