Ng Poon Chew

Who was Ng Poon Chew?

Ng Poon Chew 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.

Born in the Guangdong province of 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 and in 1892 became the first Chinese Presbyterian Minister on the American West Coast. 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 started the first Chinese language daily outside of China: Chung Sai Yat Pao. His newspaper generally promoted an assimilationist viewpoint, encouraging Chinese American readers to adapt to North American values.

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