Youth Design Leadership
Historical Context
Tying Us Back to Our Roots draws inspiration from many historical influences. All of these historical appreciations have heavily shaped San Jose’s culture and artistic roots.
In the creation of Tying Us Back to Our Roots, our collaborators have overseen many design philosophies around the United States by many artists. We used these design philosophies to tie both art and culture into our design. Despite only being able to incorporate a limited amount of elements into our design, each piece shares a strong connection with the areas around San Jose.
“Chinese Friendship Arch and Gallery Place Building 01 - Chinatown - DC” by Tim Evanson is licensed under
There used to be five Chinatowns in San Jose, the 1872 Second Market Street Chinatown being one of them. However, during a period of exceedingly strong anti-Chinese sentiment, along with the Chinese Exclusion Act passed in 1882, the City Council voted for its removal. However, before official action could be taken, it was burnt down in 1887, and while arson was suspected, no one was convicted.
San Jose originally had many different fruit orchards that produced fresh and dried fruits. Santa Clara Valley's first orchards were planted in the mid-18th Century by the missionary Fathers at Mission Santa Clara and Mission San Jose. These early orchards yielded a bountiful harvest in the rich valley soil. Most of them were eventually torn out to make room for housing, and by building this installation inspired by a fruit tree, we hope to bring some homage to the history of the orchards in San Jose.
"Urban Farm" by Don McCullough is licensed under CC BY 2.0
