Chinese Community Church: A Historical Landmark in DC Chinatown

The Chinese Community Church is the oldest church dedicated to serving the Chinese community of Washington, DC, and the last one still in operation. Although there were many Chinese Sunday Schools founded by other church congregations from 1890 to the 1920s, the CCC was founded in 1935 in an effort to establish a full-fledged congregation that would serve the Chinese community of DC. Throughout their long history, the Chinese Community Church has witnessed the changes of the Chinese population in Washington, DC; the role of the church also evolved with these transformations.

Throughout its history, the CCC has undergone several location changes around Washington, DC at various times, mainly between Mount Vernon Place and 1011 L Street NW. While at 1011 L Street, the CCC began to search for new space due to growing congregation numbers. On January 17, 2006, the church purchased its current building located at 500 I Street NW. The building, constructed in 1852 by Thomas Ustick Walter who also designed the US Capitol Dome, already had a significant religious history; it once served as a Presbyterian church, a Jewish synagogue, and a Corinthian Baptist church. 

“Chinese Community Church, 1011 L Street Northwest, Washington, District of Columbia, DC”, Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/resource/hhh.dc0463.photos?st=gallery

When the church was first established in 1935, it offered bilingual masses in English and Cantonese. Before the 1960s, the Chinese population in DC were majority Cantonese speakers. Following the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, more Mandarin speaking immigrants arrived in DC. From this trend, in 1999 the church began offering Mandarin masses. Following in the church’s roots of wanting to consolidate many Chinese Sunday Schools together by making their own congregation, the church offers Sunday School programs that are conducted multilingually and are for all ages, ranging from children to seniors. During the church’s inception, the Sunday School used to be taught in English only, but gradually expanded overtime to include Cantonese and Mandarin instruction. Over the years, the Chinese community expanded outside the immediate DC area, with many families moving to the suburbs of Virginia and Maryland. Many of them maintained connections with the church even though they no longer attend services. 

The CCC has also offered many long-standing programs to both its members and the general public since its foundation. Among these were the Couple’s Club, founded in 1955 as a way for couples of the community to come and gather for dinner and conversation, and the Women’s Club, founded in 1947 to support the integrity of the female members of the community. The Women’s Club also had a tremendous part in helping develop the foundation of the church by hosting many of its events and encouraging its members to seek fundraising. Although some of the historical clubs are no longer active today, the roles they played in acting as an outlet for community building are instrumental in the church's legacy. A social club provided by the church today is the Cool Church Kids, with its first meeting held in 2017. Many of its participants come from non-Christian backgrounds. The group met regularly to engage in multiple activities and partake in praise singing, fellowship, and learning.

Chinese Community Church at 500 I Street NW today

The Chinese Community Church has historically played a role in the early development of DC’s Chinese community. The church is an example of significant cultural heritage because apart from religious services, they act as a “community center” that serves the Chinese American community in DC by providing social programs that enhance the connections between members of the community and help them out through the use of the Chinatown Service Center. 

Claudia Vinci writes more in detail about the CSC’s overall legacy in the community, her blog post can be found on this website.