Students explore the life of Dosan Ahn Chang Ho, his immigration to the United States, and his life as an activist and community builder. They examine how the first Koreatown was established in Riverside, California, and compare the experiences of Korean, Mexican, and women citrus pickers and packers. They identify Dosan’s contributions to the United States and Korea and consider ways to make contributions of their own.

Activity Questions

• What were the characteristics of the first Koreatown in Riverside, California?
• Who was Dosan Ahn Chang Ho?
• What was life like for immigrant and women workers in the early California citrus industry?
• What contributions did Dosan make to California and the United States?
• What contributions did Dosan make to the Korean American community?
• What contributions did Dosan make to Korea?
• What can we contribute to an immigrant community like the Korean American community, to California, to the United States, and to the world?​

Instructional Strategies

• To support these activities, use the Lesson 2

​Introduction

• Introduce the lesson using the first slide of Lesson 2. Help students identify Riverside, California, as the location of the statue.

Introduction to Dosan Ahn Chang Ho and the First Koreatown

• Review the slides about Dosan Ahn Chang Ho and Pachappa Camp. (As a special treat, bring in quarters of navel oranges to share with students.)

Additional activities:

• Article Analysis Activity
• Similarities and Differences Venn Diagram
• Divide students into groups of three or six and assign each member (or pair of members) one of the three articles (A Woman’s World, Pachappa Camp, and The Roots of Inequality).
• Have students read the articles and complete the Article Analysis worksheet. 
• When students have completed their worksheets, have them regroup and create a three-circle Venn diagram of similarities and differences between experiences of the three groups: Korean immigrants, Mexican immigrants, and women of color.
• Share and discuss findings.

Dosan’s Support of Korean Independence

• Review the remaining slides in Lesson 2. Take time to explain that Korea was under the control of Japan and that Dosan was fighting for Korean independence.

Quick-Write Activity

• Provide students with the following prompt and allow them 5 minutes to quick-write their response. Call on student volunteers to share their reflections.
  • There are many U.S. memorials of Dosan Ahn Chang Ho. Write for 5 minutes about why he is so revered in the United States and Korea. Use these questions to guide your response:
    • Who was Dosan Ahn Chang Ho?
    • What contributions did he make to California?
    • What contributions did he make to the Korean American community?
    • What contributions did he make to Korea?

Closing Activity

• End class by having some students share their Quick-Writes about Dosan Ahn Chang Ho and his contributions to California, the United States, the Korean American community, and Korea.
• Pose the question: What could we contribute to an immigrant community like the Korean American community, to California, to the United States, and to the world?
• Have this lead into the Summative Assessment for Lesson 2. See Activity 2: Civic Engagement/Service Learning Extension for resources.

Resources

• Lesson 2 Teacher’s Guide and Lesson 2 Presentation are found under Lesson 2 Overview.
• Article: “A Woman’s World: A History of Female Labor in Citrus Packinghouses”
• Article: “Pachappa Camp”
• Article: “The Roots in Inequality: The Citrus Industry Prospered on the Back of Segregated Immigrant Labor”
• Additional resources are found Lesson 2 Overview, Activity 2, Lesson 2 Videos, Lesson 2 Assessments, and Civic Engagement Support.

Article: A Woman’s World (PDF)

Article: Roots of Inequality (PDF)

Article: Pachappa Camp (PDF)

Article Analysis Worksheet (PDF)

2. Jini Shim-Ethnic Studies Presentation 9-20-2025