This online exhibit features a collection of voice recordings and photo slides taken and collected by Michael H. Baker during his trip to the Peoples Republic of China in 1973. This collection of items was donated in his memory by Mr. Zachary Baker, son of Michael H. Baker, emeritus Assistant University Librarian for Collection Development and the Reinhard Family Curator Emeritus of Judaica and Hebraica Collections in the Stanford University Libraries.
On the first anniversary of the signing of the "Shanghai Communiqué," both sides established liaison offices in each other's capitals. As China-US exchanges gradually deepened, contacts and interactions between various sectors in the United States and China became noticeably frequent, various groups of Americans were organized to visit China. These sponsored trips were often run by organizations that were sympathetic to China, such as the American Workers Delegation, Women's Delegation, Black Panther Party Delegation, Committee of Scholars Concerned about Asia's Friendly Visiting Group, National Committee on United States-China Relations Scholars Visiting Group, American Newspaper Editors Association Visiting Group. The visits were normally escorted and orchestrated tours.
Michael Baker, a chemical engineer in Minneapolis, joined the group tour in June 1973, organized by a New York travel agency, Special Tours for Special People, which was connected to the left-wing independent weekly newspaper The National Guardian (later known as The Guardian). After the China trip, Mr. Baker made hundreds of photos into slides and showed to many friends and interested groups on various occasions. Unfortunately the colors in some of the slides have seriously faded. The images featured in this exhibit are just selected ones from the collection. For access to the physical collection, please contact East Asia Library.