Chinese American Cemetery of San Jose

In 1902, the Santa Clara Chinese community banded together to raise funds and purchase a plot of land to bury their dead, as they were not allowed to bury their dead in existing cemeteries. The land was passed down and maintained by the Santa Clara Chinese American community for over 100 years. Today, the South Bay Historic Chinese American Cemetery Corporation, established as a nonprofit in 1980, is responsible for maintaining the cemetery's appearance, educating the community about its historic significance, and preserving the history of this cemetery through archiving, oral histories, and community engagement initiatives. The cemetery is a small plot of land, 140 feet by 160 feet, containing more than 249 graves of early Chinese pioneers, and features an altar and a burner for paper offerings.