Explore the life, work and legacy of Martin Wong, an openly gay Chinese American visual artist. Synonymous with the Lower East Side, he was equally at home with Nuyorican poets, graffiti artists, social non-conformists, and political activists. Through video, discussion questions, primary sources, and paintings, students gain a thorough understanding of who Wong was as a painter, a supporter of the arts, and as a chronicler of the Lower East Side in the 1980s and 1990s. Students also examine multiple perspectives on Wong's Chinatown paintings, focusing on what motivated him to create this series. Was it a response to the art world's stereotypical expectations or a way to honor his own childhood memories and celebrate his heritage growing up in San Francisco Chinatown?

For more information on Martin Wong and other resources to bring LGBTQ+ history and narratives into your classroom, visit Hidden Voices: LGBTQ+ Stories in United States History.