Him Mark Lai, Chinese American historian, dies
Him Mark Lai, a noted historian of the Chinese American experience, died at his San Francisco home on May 21 after suffering from cancer and its complications. He was 84.
Mr. Lai was an expert on the history of Chinese and Chinese Americans from the time of the first Asian settlement in California just before the Gold Rush to the present day. He wrote and edited 10 books and more than 100 scholarly articles on Chinese American life - a field that was mostly ignored by non-Asian historians.
L. Ling-chi Wang, professor of Asian American studies at UC Berkeley, called Mr. Lai "the dean of Chinese American history."
"Him Mark Lai's contribution to Chinese American history is immeasurable" said Philip Choy, an eminent historian. "He was a pioneer who legitimized Chinese American studies, whose influence will carry on for many more generations."
Mr. Lai led a complex life, reflecting the racial, legal and political currents of his time. He was both a trained mechanical engineer and self-taught scholar. He was a quiet and unassuming man, but his demeanor masked a fierce devotion to civil rights and to telling the often ignored story of how Chinese Americans fought discriminatory laws to become successful in a new country.
Read entire article at San Francisco Chronicle
Mr. Lai was an expert on the history of Chinese and Chinese Americans from the time of the first Asian settlement in California just before the Gold Rush to the present day. He wrote and edited 10 books and more than 100 scholarly articles on Chinese American life - a field that was mostly ignored by non-Asian historians.
L. Ling-chi Wang, professor of Asian American studies at UC Berkeley, called Mr. Lai "the dean of Chinese American history."
"Him Mark Lai's contribution to Chinese American history is immeasurable" said Philip Choy, an eminent historian. "He was a pioneer who legitimized Chinese American studies, whose influence will carry on for many more generations."
Mr. Lai led a complex life, reflecting the racial, legal and political currents of his time. He was both a trained mechanical engineer and self-taught scholar. He was a quiet and unassuming man, but his demeanor masked a fierce devotion to civil rights and to telling the often ignored story of how Chinese Americans fought discriminatory laws to become successful in a new country.