Ruby Chow, 1920-2008: Seattle loses political, cultural trailblazer

By John | Thursday, June 5, 2008 | No Comments

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I came across this in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer article about this Seattle native, Ruby Chow, who passed away on Wednesday, “Ruby Chow, 1920-2008: City loses political, cultural trailblazer“:

“Ruby Chow, a high school dropout and former waitress who rose to become a pivotal figure in Seattle life with her popular restaurant, groundbreaking political career and activism on behalf of Chinatown…She was a major figure in politics, having been the first Asian-American elected to the King County Council, which paved the way for other Asian-Americans to win elections. And the restaurant named for her was a landmark and gathering spot for decades for politicians, visiting celebrities and regular Seattle residents in search of a good Chinese meal…For years, Ruby Chow talked politics and helped others get elected, including Wing Luke, who became Seattle’s first Asian-American city councilman.” [and first Asian American elected to public office in Washington state (1962).]

I’m always amazed to read about Asian Americans, especially Chinese Americans, who were born-and-raised in the United States before the liberalization of immigration in the 1960′s. As you know, the Chinese Exclusion Act was a United States federal law passed on May 6, 1882. For those like myself born-and-raised on the East Coast, learning about multi-generational Asian American families – mostly on the West Coast, has been something new since moving to the Bay Area in 1999.

I can’t imagine how isolated and discriminated the Chinese community in Seattle was like back in the 1920′s. Truly those like Chow had no other choice but to persevere . I just wonder how Asian Americans of several generations view “recent” Asian American immigrants and their offspring. I know that the multi-generational Japanese-American community has quite a bond within their community due their Japanese American internment experience and if there is a disconnect with more recent Japanese immigrants.

Chow lived a very long and active life, and contributed much to the Chinese-American community in the Pacific-Northwest, as well as for all Asian Americans.

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