Description
This collection contains the papers and
photographs of the Hong family, a family of prominent Chinese-American community leaders in
Los Angeles, California, specifically focused on the papers and photographs of immigration
lawyer You Chung Hong (1898-1977), his wife, Mabel Hong (1907-1998) and their two sons,
lawyer Nowland C. Hong (born 1934) and architect Roger S. Hong (1941-2006).
Background
You Chung Hong (May 4, 1898 - November 8, 1977) was a prominent Chinese American
immigration lawyer based in Los Angeles, California. He was one of the first Chinese
Americans to pass, in 1923, the California State Bar exam. Born in San Francisco,
California, in 1898, Y. C. was the son of a restaurant owner based in Daggett, California.
He was raised in San Francisco by his mother after his father passed away when Y. C. was
five years old. After graduating from high school, Y. C. settled briefly in Boston,
Massachusetts, before returning to Los Angeles to work for the U.S. Immigration Service as
an interpreter from 1918 to 1927 for court cases involving Chinese applicants for admission
into the U.S. During the early 1920s, while working full-time for the U.S. Immigration
Bureau, Y. C. enrolled in night classes at the University of Southern California School of
Law. He earned his LL.B. in 1924 and LL.M. in 1925. From that point on, Y. C. became an
active and successful immigration attorney by advocating for the right of Chinese Americans
to bring their Chinese wives to the U.S. and pushing for the repeal of the Chinese Exclusion
Acts. He was one of the key members testifying on behalf of the Chinese American Citizens
Alliance before the Senate and House Immigration Committees in 1928 in Washington D.C. He
testified in 1952 before a hearing of President Truman's Commission on Immigration and
Naturalization. He served two terms as Grand President of the Chinese American Citizens
Alliance (1949-1953), 14 terms as President of CACA's Los Angeles Lodge (1926-1949), and
Chairman of the Chinese Times Publishing Company. In addition to his accomplishments in the
legal field, Y. C. was also one of the founding members of Los Angeles New Chinatown (1938).
He was married to Mabel Hong, and together they had two sons, Nowland and Roger.
Extent
150 Linear Feet
(336 boxes, 14 oversize boxes)
Restrictions
The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from
or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The
responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining
necessary permissions rests with the researcher.
Availability
Open for use by qualified researchers and by appointment. Please contact Reader Services at
the Huntington Library for more information.