Mississippi Delta Chinese Heritage Museum

The Mississippi Delta Chinese Heritage Museum (MDCHM) preserves and shares the stories of the Chinese American communities who have called the Mississippi Delta home for generations. Through artifacts, photographs, oral histories, family stories, and community programs, the museum explores the experiences of Chinese immigrants and their descendants and their important contributions to the cultural and economic life of the Delta.

Started over a decade ago inside The Delta State University archives, the MDCHM was created to preserve and celebrate the history of the Chinese immigrants who made their way to the Mississippi Delta and called it home. Through community donations, research, and preservation, the collection has dozens of historic photos capturing the life of Chinese Delta residents, including storefronts, schools, church services, and weddings. It also features dozens of oral histories that also detail day-to-day life in the Delta. One of MDCHM’s current projects is focused on the food traditions brought and created in the region. Through film, photos, oral histories, and objects, The Delta Wok and Delta Cookbook projects aim to preserve these delicious traditions for future generations.

At the Festival, MDCHM will bring these stories to life through cooking demonstrations, storytelling, and an ongoing game of mahjong that all are welcome to join. Demonstrations on the wok will explain the foods, techniques, and experiences that connected Chinese American life in the Delta. The booth with also feature curated artifacts and memorabilia from its collections, along with a Chinese grocery store display that will explore the role of Chinese-owned grocery stores as important gathering places and businesses throughout the Delta. Festivalgoers will get the opportunity to learn about the history of Chinese Americans in Mississippi while experiencing the living traditions of food, games, storytelling, and community that continue to connect generations; while also learning how foodways and everyday practices can serve as powerful vessels for preserving family memories, cultural traditions, and the diverse history of the Mississippi Delta.