Bridging Chinese and English Names: Educational Journey of a Chinese-American Architect in the Early 20th Century

• In Event: Thursday Roundtable Session 12:40 pm
  In Roundtable Session: Access and Advancement: Funding, Technology Integration, and Pedagogical Innovation in Education (Table 2)

Abstract

Tamura (2001) argued that “educational history will remain incomplete” unless we include more historical studies on Asian American education, an area that had long been neglected. This study seeks to illuminate the diversity of Asian American education through examining educational experiences of Chinese Americans during the first half of the twentieth century. Specifically, it highlights the educational trajectory of Gilbert Yeo Leong (Chinese name Leung Yen Lum), who was born in Los Angeles in 1911 and received education in a variety of settings. Gilbert’s story helps us gain an in-depth understanding of Chinese American schooling experiences during a period when they “struggled to survive and build their community within a social environment that was often, but not always, hostile.”

Author

• Yulu Hou, Michigan State University