Ng Poon Chew

Ng Poon Chew (Chinese: 伍盤照; pinyin: Wǔ Pánzhào, March 14, 1866 – March 13, 1931) was an author, publisher, and advocate for Chinese American civil rights. He published the first Chinese language daily newspaper to be printed outside of China.[1]

In this Chinese name, the family name is Ng (伍).
Ng Poon Chew, from a 1920 publication.

Born in the Toisan district of Guangdong province in Southern China, Ng moved to California in 1881, where he first worked as a domestic servant on a ranch. He became a student of U.S. culture, studying English, adopting Western dress, and converting to Christianity. He joined the seminary[2] and in 1892 became the first Chinese Presbyterian Minister on the American West Coast.[3] He was assigned to a ministry in Los Angeles, but after a fire destroyed his mission, he decided to focus his efforts on establishing a Chinese language newspaper instead. After a year of publishing his L.A.-based weekly, Hua Mei Sun Bo, Ng moved to San Francisco where he wrote the first Chinese language daily outside of China: Chung Sai Yat Pao.[4] His newspaper generally promoted an assimilationist viewpoint, encouraging Chinese American readers to adapt to North American values.[5]

Ng traveled the country speaking out against anti-Chinese legislation,[6] such as the Chinese Exclusion Act. He also published books[7] and pamphlets[8] opposing discrimination against Chinese Americans.

Ng was adviser to the Chinese consulate general in San Francisco from 1906 to 1913 and vice-consul for China from 1913 until 1931.[9]

He was called "an Oriental Mark Twain".[10]

See also
  • King Lan Chew, Ng Poon Chew's youngest daughter, a dancer.
  • John P. Irish, supported Chinese immigration. Ng Poon Chew was an honorary pallbearer at his funeral.
  • Samantha Knox Condit, Presbyterian missionary in San Francisco. Ng Poon Chew was an assisting pastor at her funeral.

Notes
  1. Franklin Ng, "Ng Poon Chew," in Kim, Hyung-chan (1999). Distinguished Asian Americans: A Biographical Dictionary. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press. ISBN 0313289026. pp. 56-59
  2. San Francisco Genealogy sfgenealogy.com
  3. Ng Poon Chew Biographical Notes inn-california.com
  4. Guide to the Chung Sai Yat Po Newspaper Collection Online Archive of California (oac.cdlib.org)
  5. Being Chinese book review historycooperative.org
  6. A Historian's Reflections on Chinese American Life in San Francisco calisphere.universityofcalifornia.edu
  7. A Statement for Non-Exclusion books.google.com
  8. The Treatment of the Exempt Classes of Chinese in the United States calisphere.universityofcalifornia.edu
  9. Vice-consul
  10. Promotional Flyer sdrcdata.lib.uiowa.edu/libsdrc
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