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Alex D. Kennedy Collection

 Collection
Identifier: OCH-ADK

Scope and Contents

The Alex D. Kennedy Collection consists of items relating to Kennedy's childhood in Shanghai as well as his continued interest in China and trips he and his wife took to Asia and Old China Hands Reunions. The collection is divided into three series: Shanghai Materials (1923-1949), Trips (1982-2002), and General China Information (1980-2000).

Series I, Shanghai Materials, consists of items from Kennedy's childhood growing up in Shanghai. This includes a photograph of his parents, greeting cards, and yearbooks, newsletters and photographs from multiple schools attended by Kennedy.

Series II, Trips, consists of materials from various vacations taken by Kennedy and his wife, including trips to Hong Kong, multiple cities in China, and the Old China Hands Reunion in Las Vegas in 1996. Materials in the series include postcards, itineraries, brochures, business cards, guidebooks, general information, programs, and maps.

Series III, General China Information, consists of print items collected by Kennedy related to Shanghai, China and Chinese culture in general. This includes multiple magazine and newspaper articles, notes, Chinese workbooks, and correspondence about a documentary on Jewish refugees in Shanghai.

Dates

  • Creation: 1923-2002

Language of Materials

English Russian French Chinese

Conditions Governing Access:

The collection is open for research use.

Conditions Governing Use:

Copyright for unpublished materials authored or otherwise produced by the creator(s) of this collection has not been transferred to California State University, Northridge. Copyright status for other materials is unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.

Biographical Information:

Alex D. Kennedy, originally named Alex Kochneff, was born in Shanghai in 1930. He was the fourth son of Colonel Dimitry Vasilivich and Ekaterina Nikitichna Kochneff, who had fled to Shanghai in the wake of the Russian Revolution in 1921. Kennedy attended the Public & Thomas Hanbury School starting at the age of six, and transferred to St. Francis Xavier’s College during World War II. After the war, the family left China for the Philippines, where as stateless Russians, they lived in a displaced persons' camp for almost two years. They were then able to travel to the United States, where they arrived in San Francisco in November of 1950. Kennedy became a naturalized U.S. citizen.

Full Extent

1.64 Linear Feet (3 boxes, 4 oversized folders)

Abstract

Alex D. Kennedy was born in Shanghai in 1930. He was the fourth son of Colonel Dimitry Vasilivich and Ekaterina Nikitichna Kochneff, and attended both the Public & Thomas Hanbury School and St. Francis Xavier’s College in Shanghai. The collection contains items saved by Kennedy that relate to his experience living in Shanghai, and visiting China and Hong Kong multiple times later in life, including articles, brochures, a book of illustrations, postcards, maps, yearbooks, programs, newsletters, photographs and correspondence.

Arrangement of Materials:

Series I: Shanghai Materials, 1923-1949

Series II: Trips, 1982-2002

Series III: General China Information, 1980-2000

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Alex D. Kennedy, 2010.

Processing Information:

Jessica Geiser, 2013

Title
Guide to the Alex D. Kennedy Collection
Date
2013-07-09
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
English

Repository Details

Part of the Special Collections & Archives Repository

Contact:
University Library
California State University, Northridge
18111 Nordhoff Street
Northridge CA 91330-8326 USA
818-677-4594