The First Chinese American: The Remarkable Life of Wong Chin Foo

By Scott D. Seligman

Book Overview

Chinese in America endured abuse and discrimination in the late nineteenth century, but they had a leader and a fighter in Wong Chin Foo (1847-1898), whose story is a forgotten chapter in the struggle for equal rights in America. The first to use the term "Chinese American," Wong defended his compatriots against malicious scapegoating and urged them to become Americanized to win their rights. A trailblazer and a born showman who proclaimed himself China's first Confucian missionary to the United States, he founded America's first association of Chinese voters and testified before Congress to get laws that denied them citizenship repealed. Wong challenged Americans to live up to the principles they freely espoused but failed to apply to the Chinese in their midst. This evocative biography is the first book-length account of the life and times of one of America's most famous Chinese--and one of its earliest campaigners for racial equality.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 9888139894
• ISBN13: 9789888139897
• Release Date: March 2013
• Publisher: Hong Kong University Press
• Length: 364 Pages
• Weight: 1.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 6.0" x 9.1"
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

Chinese American Warrior!

Scott wrote this book with intensive energy and research to bring out this masterpiece. He painted a vivid live picture of Mr Wong that reader is able to feel Mr Wong's energy, action and charisma jumping out of the pages. It is wonderful that he is able to round up around the countries the press coverage on him and pictures. He even is able to find, meet and interview Wong's family link from China to give us a remarkable and outstanding First Chinese-American. Mr. Wong was courageous to speak his mind and truth when he hears, sees and takes action against evil! However, Mr. Wong is not known among Chinese and Americans as he toured around the country to promote and appreciate Chinese culture for a better peaceful and racial harmony society in the "Chinese Must Go" sentiment. Mr. Wong Chin Foo was a 19th Century Chinese-American warrior. He took up the mission to fight for political rights with undaunted courage. He witnessed Chinese and American cultures, discrimination and fight-back, bias and truth, separation and integration, Christianity and Confucianism, and, sojourner and settler. He set an example to push for Chinatown image improvement. He published papers and lectured around the country to promote understanding of Chinese culture. He advocated and motivated Chinese-American on active participation in the main society. His political involvements were reported in main stream media for over three thousand times. This powerful and lofty image and action for social justice, racial equality are admirable and respectful. However, he was not known in civil right movement now and then. Currently Chinese-Americans still face the same challenges as Mr. Wong's era especially in "China threat" of economic and military "Yellow Peril" Surely, he is a leader and a model. He will smile from heaven looking down that Congress and California Legislature apologized for Chinese Exclusion a few years ago. This is a great book to read and Mr Wong Chin Foo is to esteem in the Civil Right Movement!