The San Francisco International Hotel

San Francisco has a rich Asian American history and nothing symbolizes the Bay Area's Asian American struggle for civil rights more than the fight to save The International Hotel.

During the early 20th century a ten block area between Chinatown and the Financial district became home to a large number of working class Filipino and Chinese men. It soon became known as Manilatown. Because the US government largely prohibited Asian women from entering the country until 1965 and race mixing was taboo most of these men did not have families. Instead of family life, community life became the focus for these men. Places like pool halls, restaurants, barber shops and dance halls. From 1920 to 1935 legislation forbid Filipinos from owning property, so many of these men lived in low rent hotels, such as the I-Hotel.

By the 1960s San Francisco was in the midst of a spreading "urban renewal" campaign. Local businesses and low rent housing was replaced by skyscrapers and downtown businesses (including the famous Transamerica Pyramid building). As the Financial District expanded, Manilatown was swallowed up and destroyed. The International Hotel was one of the last low rent hotels in the area. Though there was no vacancies in the building, and even though some of the men who lived there had been living there since serving in World War I, the owners of the building decided to tear it down and replace it with a parking garage.

An eviction notice was given in 1968. This was a time when the Third World Liberation Movement was at its peak and the fight to save the I-Hotel became a rally point for local activists. Many of these activists were students wanting to go back into the community and work for social justice. The I-Hotel was not only a focus for Asian American rights but also for elderly rights, low income housing and the struggle against "urban renewal." For the next decade, this hotel was the focus of numerous court battles and street protests.

Finally, on August 4th of 1977 300 Police officers moved in to evict the remaining tenants. Though over 3,000 community members and activists stood in their way, the police were able to brutally take over the building and the next day demolitions began. Though the building was destroyed and the tenants evicted, the fight for the I-Hotel brought together numerous leftist groups and helped defend the cultural identity of local Asian Americans.

The planed parking garage was never built and until 2005 the lot stood empty. Finally, after a number of changes in ownership a new building, also called The International Hotel was built in 2005 at 868 Kearny Street. It now stands as low income housing for around 160 elderly individuals. That includes a handful of residents of the original I-Hotel and a community center and historical display on the ground floor. The historical photo and art display on the ground floor is open 1PM - 6PM, Tuesday - Saturday and is free of charge. For more information go to http://www.manilatown.org.