A Choson Man In America
The publication of Yeen Myung Chang’s autobiography is a noteworthy occasion for those of us who desire to make stories of earlier Korean immigrants more available not only to our young readers of Korean ancestry in America, but also to the general readers in broader American society.
The Chang memoir contributes to this narrative in a number of ways. First, it is very rare to find an autobiography written by Korean immigrants who came to America between 1903 and 1905 to work on Hawaiian sugar plantations. Most of these workers were illiterate. More importantly, there was not a strong established tradition among ordinary Koreans to leave written records of their life. Second, Chang’s account offers a glimpse of the voyage that brought Korean workers to Hawaii. Third, Chang participated in the Korean independence movement in America and adds details to that period. Fourth, Chang converted to Christianity shortly before coming to America and his experience corroborates the tendency of these immigrants to adopt Christianity. Fifth, Chang was an activist in the Korean American community, an adventurous traveler and an early entrepreneur.
by Robert Hyung Chan Kim, Professor Emeritus, Western Washington University