HEAR THEIR STORIES
The city of Stockton has the distinction of having the fifth-largest population of Cambodians in the nation and the second-largest in California. Beginning in 1975, when Cambodia fell to the communist Khmer Rouge and as many as 2 million perished in the killing fields, Cambodian refugees began relocating here in larger numbers. Once here, they forged a close community of prosperous and compelling people. The stories are horrifying and heartbreaking, but also full of heart and perseverance, a window into the human spirit that fights against even the most unspeakable evil, not just to go on, but to triumph.
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BEYOND THE KILLING FIELDS
Our mission with this project is not just to highlight the sufferings of their past but to show the Khmer people’s remarkable strength, will and resilience – the affirmative, empowering, redemptive story of their history and their presence here.
A public domain oral history project, as well as a documentary, exhibit of artifacts and photos, and a complete multimedia website, will help preserve these personal narratives and allow them to be used for further education and research.
A SHORT FILM
OUR SUPPORTERS
This project was made possible with support from Cal Humanities, an independent non-profit state partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
The Stockton Cambodian Oral History Project is supported in part by a grant from the Stockton Arts Commission.