Old Chan Magic: Chinese Roots, Southern Branches
Old Chan Magic
Photo Exhibition
This exhibition features rare photographs and stories that reveal the daily lives of the Chan family, their business endeavors, and their experience as part of a growing Chinese-American community in the South in the early 20th century. Through these images, visitors will discover a unique perspective on the intersection of Chinese heritage and Southern identity during this pivotal time in Savannah’s history
Old Chan Magic will be on view Jan 16 - May. It is open to the public and completely free.
Ch’ung T’ai Peng Ch’an (Robert Chan)
In 1889, Ch’ung T’ai Peng Ch’an—renamed Robert Chan upon his arrival—became one of Savannah’s first Chinese immigrants. Robert and his wife, Annie, lived in the Davenport House from 1901 to 1902 while operating a Chinese laundry in what is now the Historic Kennedy Pharmacy. Their story embodies the broader experience of early Chinese immigrants in America while uniquely reflecting Savannah’s cultural landscape, shaped in large part by Robert’s leadership, influence, and social connections.
In the Garden Behind the Moon
A memoir by Alexandra Chan.
Available for purchase at the Historic Kennedy Pharmacy.
Alexandra Chan is a distinguished archaeologist, artist, author and descendant of T’ai Peng (Robert) and Annie Chan, former residents of the Davenport House and proprietors of the R.C. Chan, Tong, & Co., a Chinese laundry that once occupied the Historic Kennedy Pharmacy.
Her deeply moving memoir, In the Garden Behind the Moon blends family history with personal discovery, taking readers on a journey from pre-revolution China to Jim Crow-era Savannah, the Pacific theater of WWII, and even the black sands of Reynisfjara, Iceland. Through the lens of grief, resilience, and renewal, Chan explores her path to healing by uncovering the stories and artifacts left by her father and ancestors.
