HONOR ROLL LIST: Pioneers, past and present

Asian American Journalists Association Honor Roll

ASIAN AMERICAN PIONEERS IN JOURNALISM

REMEMBERING OUR ROOTS

A pioneer is one who opens up an area or prepares a way. A pioneer is somebody who does something for the first time or is one of the first to reach a goal, a territory, create a genre, who breaks through a barrier, blazes a trail, or helps open the doors for others to go through where no one of their kind has gone before.

The following Asian Pacific Americans listed here, whose heritage includes the continents of Asia, America and the islands of the Pacific Ocean, are pioneers in journalism.

They are first of their kind to practice journalism professionally for a U.S. news organization or create a journalistic vehicle using the English language in the so-called mainstream news media field, addressing ethnic communities or as a conscious counter or alternative to the mainstream.

The pioneers here are writers, reporters, photographers, photojournalists, filmmakers, motion picture and television camera people, film and video editors, radio-television community and public affairs producers or on-air hosts, editorial cartoonists, producers, directors, copy editors, make-up editors, assignment editors, columnists, war correspondents, foreign correspondents, senior editors, managing editors, executive editors, tape editors, press operators, broadcast engineers, network correspondents, on-air broadcast news anchors, news directors, publishers, media owners.

They are leaders in their field. They break through barriers of discrimination. They tell true stories about people and places. They strive to uphold the principles of truth, justice and freedom.

Additionally, the AAJA Honor Roll includes those who were outspoken advocates and active agents for change in the newsrooms and products of U.S. media organizations.

FOR THE FUTURE

AAJA’s Honor Roll of Asian American Pioneers in Journalism is not definitive or complete. It is a living, working, breathing document.

The categories are Asian American Pioneers in U.S. Journalism (1925-1975); the Change Agents who fought for our rights to become working journalists in America; Pioneers in Asian Community Media, and Pioneers in Asian American Media.

We expect to know and hear of more pioneers as we continue to explore, discover and learn about our colleagues and the communities we share.

The AAJA Honor Roll represents what we know at this moment in time, with the understanding and expectation that there are more pioneers to be discovered and recognized, including those from earlier as well as later eras, that this list will grow and endure as more pioneers are found, as witnesses come forth or documentation is unearthed.

LEST WE FORGET

Lest we forget those who came before us, let us now recognize, praise, honor and cherish these Asian American pioneers in journalism, sung and unsung, for their courage, vision and wisdom.

– Written by Christopher Chow. Reprinted from AAJA’s 2010 Convention Book.

The ASIAN AMERICAN PIONEERS PROJECT is researched, edited and compiled
by Christopher Chow and Suzanne Joe Kai.

Editors’ Note: We regret any errors or omissions contained herein. Corrections and additions will be made with subsequent updates or editions online and in print. This ongoing project will be housed at www.AAJA.org. Please submit candidates to Annabelle Udo-O’Malley c/o EVENTS@AAJA.org

AAJA FOUNDERS &
ASIAN AMERICAN PIONEERS IN U.S. JOURNALISM (1925-1975)

1. Gobind Behari Lal*	1925	SF Examiner, Universal Service, Pulitzer for Science Writing 1937, Science Editor Emeritus-Hearst Newspapers
2. Louise Leung Larson*	1926	LA Record, Chicago Daily Times, LA Times Sunday Magazine, Santa Monica Evening Outlook
3. Larry Tajiri*	1931	Pacific Citizen Editor, Denver Post Literary & Arts Critic
4. Ah Jook Leung Ku*	1935	Honolulu Star-Bulletin – 1^st Asian American reporter in Hawaii
5. Hai Sheng “Newsreel” Wong*	1936	Hearst Metrotone News of the Day – 1^st Asian American motion picture newsreel cameraman
6. Mayday Lo Walden	1936	Paradise of the Pacific – 1^st Asian American woman magazine writer in Hawaii, Honolulu Star-Bulletin
7. Norman Soong*	1937	NY Times Photojournalist – One of 1^st Asian American photojournalists & war correspondent with major daily
8. Ella Chun*	1937	Honolulu Advertiser – 1^st Asian American woman to write for the Honolulu Advertiser
9. Charles Leong*	1939	The Stars & Stripes, SF Chronicle – One of 1^st Asian American writers for Army and San Francisco daily
10. Larry Nakatsuka*	1939	Honolulu Star Bulletin – 1^st Japanese American reporter in Hawaii; covered Pearl Harbor Attack; AAJA Award
11. Howard Yuen	1942	KSFO, KPIX – 1^st Asian American Radio-TV engineer who helped launch 1^st TV station in SF (KPIX)
12. William Hosokawa*	1943	Japanese American Courier, Denver Post – 1^st Asian American senior editor on major U.S. daily
13. James M. Omura*	1943	Current Life, Rocky Shimpo
14. Carlos Bulosan*	1943	Saturday Evening Post – 1^st Asian American to write for a major general circulation magazine
15. William Gee*	1944	Honolulu Star Bulletin – 1^st Asian American sports writer and editor on major U.S. daily
16. Dr. Herb Wong	1945	KJAZ-FM – 1^st Asian American jazz journalist, music producer and among 1^st Asian American radio announcers
17. Jen-Chung Chang*	1946	World War II Correspondent, President of Foreign Press Club, Tokyo, Japan
18. Tomi Kaizawa Knaefler	1947	Honolulu Star Bulletin – 1^st Japanese American woman reporter Hawaii, covered ‘60s national civil rights stories
19. Harriet Mun Gee	1949	Honolulu Star Bulletin – One of 1^st Asian American women to move from society to general news
20. Shurei Hirozawa*	1950	Honolulu Star Bulletin – 1^st Asian American business and labor editor
21. Morgan Li Kung Jin*	1950	Newspaper Guild of NY Times, won $1.5 million class action discrimination suit resulting in affirmative action
22. Kenneth Cyril Wong*	1950	Chinese World Daily, SF Examiner 1980-86 – 1^st Asian American news columnist in a San Francisco daily
23. Brij Lal*	1951	Voice of America (White House); ABC Radio News writer/editor – One of 1st Asian American broadcast journalists
24. Vincent Tajiri	1953	Playboy Magazine Photo Editor
25. William T. Kong*	1953	Des Moines Register, SF Examiner – 1^st Asian American recipient of SPJ’s Wells Memorial Key Award
26. Henry Moritsugu	1954	Northern Daily News, Philadelphia Inquirer, Newsday – One of 1^st Asian American editors, AAJA Award
27. George Lum	1954	KPIX TV – 1^st Chinese American TV Producer & Director of daily and evening newscasts and variety programs
28. Dorothy Ing Russell	1954	United Press, Washington Post – 1^st Asian American woman editor & 2^nd woman editor hired by the Post
29. Sarah Park*	1955	Honolulu Star-Bulletin, Korean War correspondent, Newseum Journalists Memorial Wall
30. Jack Matsumoto*	1955	One of 1^st Asian American press photographers at Honolulu Star Bulletin
31. Kyung Won Lee	1955	Charleston Gazette, Sacramento Union. Launched English edition of The Korea Times, as Editor. AAJA’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 1987. Newseum History Gallery inductee for investigative journalism.
32. Sam Chu Lin*	1956	WJPR, KOOL, CBS News, KTTV – 1^st Asian American radio anchor; one of 1^st Asian American network news reporters
33. William F. Woo*	1957	Kansas City Times, St. Louis Dispatch – 1st Asian American chief editor of a major daily
34. Ernie Flores*	1957	Arizona Republic – 1^st Filipino American reporter in major U.S. daily
35. Jon Wing Lum	1957	CBS 20^th Century with Walter Cronkite – 1^st Asian American network cameramen, catalytic cinema pioneer
36. Jack Ong	1958	Mesa Arizona Daily Tribune – One of 1^st Asian American reporters in Arizona and the Southwest
37. Bill Kwon*	1959	Honolulu Star-Bulletin – One of 1^st Asian American sports columnists in U.S.
38. Chinn Ho*	1961	Star Bulletin & Pacific Daily News – 1^st Asian American Owner of U.S. daily, Chairman, Gannett-Pacific Corp.
39. Henry Lorren Au*	1961	Sacramento Union – 1st Asian American press photographer in Sacramento, covering California capitol
40. Kyoichi Sawada	1961	UPI – Photographer, Pulitzer Prize Winner for Vietnam War woman & children fleeing across river (1966)
41. David Chan	1962	Playboy Magazine – One of 1^st Asian American major magazine photographers
42. William Wong	1962	SF Chronicle – 1^st Asian American staff writer at Wall Street Journal, regional commentator on PBS Newshour
43. Gene Oishi	1963	Associated Press, Baltimore Sun – 1^st Asian American reporter covering nation’s capitol for the Baltimore Sun
44. Min S. Yee	1963	Newsweek, Ramparts – 1st Asian American major news magazine reporter (Newsweek) and editor (Ramparts
45. K. Connie Kang	1963	Rochester Democrat & Chronicle, LA Times – 1^st Korean American woman reporter on U.S. mainland daily
46. David Kishiyama	1965	Morro Bay Sun, LA Times, AAJA Founder – One of 1st Asian American staff writers for LA Times
47. Frank Ching	1965	New York Times, Wall Street Journal – One of 1st Asian American editors at New York Times
48. Huynh (Nick) Cong Ut	1965	Associated Press – Photographer, Pulitzer Prize for Napalm Girl 1973
49. Frank Chin	1966	KING Screen Productions, WNET PBS, Writer-Host 1^st national Asian American special, Chinaman Chance
50. Mario Machado	1967	KHJ, KNXT CBS Sports – 1^st Asian American Radio-TV reporter-anchor; sportscaster, consumer affairs reporter.
51. Ben Fong-Torres	1967	KFOG, Rolling Stone, KTVU – 1st Asian American editor at the executive level of a national magazine (Senior Editor of Rolling Stone);
52. Beulah Quo*	1968	KCOP, KNBC – One of 1st Asian American television public affairs producers in the country
53. Victor Wong*	1968	KQED Newsroom – Originated news photo-essay genre on pioneering daily news program of public broadcasting
54. Susan Almazol	1968	San Francisco Examiner – 1^st Filipina and first Asian American woman reporter.
55. Emiko Omori	1968	KQED Newsroom – 1st woman TV news cameraperson in SF, Filmmaker, Emmy Award for Rabbit in the Moon.
56. John Wing	1968	WNBC TV – one of 1^st Asian American TV news cinematographers in New York
57. David Louie	1968	NBC News, KGO – One of 1^st Asian American TV news reporters; 1st Asian American TV reporter in Midwest
58. Stanford Chen*	1969	Portland Oregonian – 1^st Asian American editor at The Portland Oregonian; AAJA Lifetime Award.
59. Loni Ding, Ph.D.*	1969	KPIX, KQED, PBS – 1st bilingual Chinese-English TV series in US; Filmmaker, founded Independent Television Service
60. Gimmy Park Li	1969	KNBR Radio – 1st Asian American radio public affairs producer in San Francisco
61. Lloyd LaCuesta	1969	KTVU – 1^st Filipino American TV news reporter in San Francisco, 1^st National President of Unity ’94.
62. Ken Kashiwahara	1969	KHVH, KABC, ABC News – 1st Asian American network TV news anchor & war correspondent (Vietnam)
63. Suzanne Joe (Kai)	1969	KCBS SF, KRON TV, KTVU, KGO, KGUN, documentary filmmaker, StudioLA.TV – 1^st Asian American female TV news reporter/host in San Francisco & Arizona
64. Connie Chung	1969	WTTG, CBS News – 1^st Asian American & and 2nd woman network evening news anchor
65. Christopher Chow	1970	WMAQ, KPIX, KCET – 1^st Asian American TV news reporter in SF, his hire triggered rush for AA TV reporters
66. Vic Lee	1969	UPI, NY Times, KRON, KGO – One of 1^st Asian American managing editors in San Francisco, general news TV reporter, w/ an Asian affairs beat.
67. Charles Lee Moriwaki	1969	KQED, KGO, Seattle Times – One of 1^st AA TV news writer-producers & assignment editor in SF
68. Francisco “Corky” Trinidad*	1969	Honolulu Star Bulletin – 1^st Asian American nationally syndicated editorial cartoonist.
69. Tritia Toyota, Ph.D	1970	KNX, KNBC, KCBS TV – 1^st Asian American woman reporter & evening news anchor in Los Angeles, AAJA Founder
70. Willie Kee*	1970	KTVU – 1^st Asian American TV news cameraman in the SF Bay Area.
71. Barbara Tanabe	1970	KOMO, KHON TV -1^st Asian American woman TV reporter on West Coast, 1^st AA woman Hawaii TV anchor
72. Al Young	1970	Bridgeport Post-Telegram, Boston Globe – 1^st Asian American mainland sports writer, editor and columnist
73. Margarett Loke	1971	Ingenue, Cosmopolitan, NY Times Magazine – One of the 1^st Asian American editors for national magazines
74. George Takei	1971	KNBC Expressions East West – Host-Producer, One of 1^st Asian American public affairs hosts
75. Rosy Chu	1971	KTVU – one of 1^st Asian American public affairs producer-hosts and managers in television
76. Rose Pak	1971	SF Chronicle – 1st Asian American woman staff reporter at San Francisco Chronicle
77. Marilynn K. Yee	1971	St. Louis-Dispatch, NY Times – 1^st woman and among 1^st Asian American photographers at NY Times
78. Sandi Eng	1971	KGO Radio, One of 1^st Asian American radio news producers in San Francisco
78. Dith Pran*	1972	New York Times – One of 1^st AA photographers at NY Times, Survivor of Cambodia “killing fields” Subject of the Academy Award-winning film The Killing Fields
79. Linda Shen	1972	WNET, KPIX – 1^st Asian American woman television news reporter in New York
80. Sumi Sevilla Haru	1972	KTLA – 1st Filipino TV regular in Los Angeles as host-producer of The Gallery, 70’s Woman and 80’s Woman
81. Frank Kwan	1970	KCOP TV, KNBC – One of 1^st Asian American public affairs host-producers, AAJA Founder
82. Nancy Yoshihara	1970	LA Times – One of 1^st Asian American women reporters at Los Angeles Times, AAJA Founder.
83. Joann Lee, Ph.D	1973	KOVR, WLS, WCAU, CNN – 1st Asian American woman TV news reporter-anchor in 3 markets & cable network
84. Joanne Ishimine	1973	KABC TV – 1^st Asian American woman reporter-anchor at KABC Los Angeles
85. Bruce Koon	1973	KQED News Director, Pioneering online editor established Knight-Ridder Digital Center as Exec. News Editor
86. Curtiss Kim	1973	KNBR Radio, KFTY TV – 1st Asian American Radio Reporter in San Francisco;
87. Felicia Lowe	1973	KNBC, KGO TV – One of 1st female Asian American TV reporters & public affairs hosts in SF, documentary Filmmaker
88. Robert Handa	1973	KNTV, KTEH, KTVU – News reporter. Integrated Silicon Valley newsrooms in print & broadcast
89. Dwight Chuman	1970	Rafu Shimpo – Editor, KCET – One of 1^st Asian American writer-producers at KCET. AAJA Founder
90. Peter Bhatia	1974	The Oregonian – Editor. – 1^st Asian American President of American Society of Newspaper Editors; 7 Pulitzers won by newsrooms he has helped lead.
91. Paul Sakuma	1974	Associated Press – One of 1^st Asian American press photographers in SF; Pulitzer Prize Finalist (1975)
92. Emil Guillermo	1974	KLOL, KRON, NPR – 1^st Asian American male and first Filipino American to host a national news program
93. Linda Yee	1973	KRON TV, KPIX TV, News reporter – One of 1^st Asian American public affairs producer-writers to cross over to news.
94. Ronald C. Patel*	1974	Philadelphia Inquirer – 1^st Asian American Sunday Editor & president of Newspaper Features Council
95. Kaity Tong	1974	KPIX, WABC TV – 1^st Asian American Evening News Anchor New York
96. Ginny Poon Yamate*	1974	KPIX, KGO TV – One of the 1^st Asian American public affairs producers & managers in Radio-TV in SF
97. Pamela Young	1975	KPIX, KQED – 1^st Asian American staff reporter on KQED Newsroom; Anchor KITV Hawaii
98. Corky Lee	1975	Freelance Photojournalist – Time, New York Times, AP, Village Voice, with a focus on Asian America
99. Alan Fong	1975	KCBS Radio – 1^st Asian American radio commentator in San Francisco
100. Linda Yu	1975	KATU, WLS -1^st Asian American TV news reporter in Oregon, one of 1st Asian American anchors in Chicago
101. Jon Funabiki	1975	San Diego Union – 1^st Asian American editorial page editor of San Diego Union
102. Ted Shen*	1975	Chicago Tribune, Chicago Magazine – 1^st Asian American critic in Chicago.
103. Judge Julie Tang	1975	KRON TV – Wah Kue – 1st Chinese American bilingual host of weekly public affairs program
104. Jan Yanehiro	1975	KFRC, KPIX Evening Magazine – One of the 1st journalists to introduce the magazine format to television
105. Serena Chen	1975	KTVU Asians Now, co-host and co-producer – 1^st weekly multilingual Asian American public affairs program
106. Annie Nakao	1975	Coast Magazine, SF Examiner, LA Herald Examiner, innovator of civic journalism, AAJA Award
107. Bill Sing	1979	Los Angeles Times business editor, economics editor, AAJA Founder

CHANGE AGENTS

Pioneers Who Advocated for the Hiring and Promotion of
Asian Americans in Mainstream Media

1. Dr. L. Ling-chi Wang	1968	Professor Emeritus, UC Berkeley, Asian American Studies Scholar and Activist, Dr. Wang co-founded the Asian American civil rights organization, Chinese for Affirmative Action. Dr. Wang fought for equal employment opportunities in many industries, including desegregating the all-male, all-white mainstream newsrooms of San Francisco in the late 1960s and early 70s. Once the first Asian Americans broke the barriers to be hired to work as journalists on-camera in San Francisco’s TV news, stations nationwide began hiring Asian Americans.
2. Justice Harry W. Low	1968	Presiding Justice, California Appellate Court (Ret)/JAMS; Civil Rights Advocate & Documentary Exec. Producer, Separate Lives, Broken Dreams. During the 1967-1972 period when most SF television and radio newsrooms did not employ Asian Americans, he would become one of the “bridges” between the broadcast stations in SF and the Chinese American community.
3. Hon. Lim P. Lee*	1966	1^st Asian American Postmaster of SF, Co-Founder of the Chinese American Democratic Club, Civil Rights Advocate.
4. Sumi Sevilla Haru	1972	Co-Founder & former national chair of the SAG Ethnic Employment Opportunities Committee; SAG national board member since 1974 & AFTRA national board member since 1976.

ASIAN COMMUNITY PRESS

1. Ng Poon Chew	1899	Chung Sai Yat Po (Chinese Daily)
2. Victorio A. Velasco*	1924	Philippine Seattle Colonist, Philippine American Review, The Filipino Forum
3. Walter U. Lum*	1924	Chinese Times, Young China
4. James Sakamoto*	1928	Japanese American Courier
5. Misao Sakamoto*	1928	Japanese American Courier
6. Larry Tajiri*	1931	Pacific Citizen, Denver Post
7. Tsuguyo (Marion) Tajiri*	1931	Pacific Citizen
8. James M. Omura*	1935	Current Life, Rocky Shimpo, was in a debate about post-war/camp Japanese America on KLZ Radio in 1947
9. Togo Tanaka*	1935	Rafu Shimpo
10. China Daily News*	1940	Members of the Chinese Hand Laundry Alliance of New York
10. Gilbert Woo*	1946	Chinese Pacific Weekly
11. Ernie Flores*	1957	Arizona Republic, San Diego Union, Filipino Press
12. John Fang*	1952	Chinese Daily Post, SF Independent, AsianWeek
13. Michi Onuma*	1960	Nichi Bei Times, Hokubei Mainichi
14. Alex Esclamado	1961	The Philippine News
15. Harry Honda	1962	Pacific Citizen
16. Gordon Lew	1966	East West Journal
17. Yen Ngoc Do*	1978	Nguoi Viet Daily News
18.Kyung Won (K.W.) Lee	1979	Koreatown Weekly, Korea Times

ASIAN AMERICAN MEDIA

1. Gidra	1969	UCLA student Founders, Dinora Gil, Laura Ho, Mike Murase, Tracy Okida, Colin Watanabe, Bruce Iwasaki, Seigo Hayashi, Steve Tatsukawa, Candace Ota, Mike Nakayama, & Dean Toji.
2. San Francisco Journal	1970	Maurice Chuck Founder, Publisher; Min S. Yee, Katheryn M. Fong, Russell Lowe, Jane Gorai, Rita Yee, Forrest Gok, Eddie Foronda.
3. Amerasia Journal	1970	UCLA Dir. & Prof. Asian American Studies Center Don T. Nakanishi, was Founding Publisher with fellow Yale student Lowell Chun-Hoon, Founding Editor. A scholarly journal & current events. Became part of the UCLA Asian American Studies Center from 1972 to the present.
4. Bridge	1971	Peter Chow, Frank Ching, Margarett Loke, Danny N.T. Yung.
5. Chinese Youth Voice	1973	Him Mark Lai*, Judy Poon, weekly public affairs program on KPFA Pacific Radio
6. AmAsia TV	1973	Prof. Leo Chen*, first owned & operated Asian American TV
7. International Examiner	1974	Gerald Yuasa, Larry Imamura Founding Publishers, Sold to Alaskan Cannery Workers Assn, Publishers Nemesio & Silme Domingo.
8. Dupont Guy	1974	Katheryn M. Fong, Russell Lowe, Christopher Chow, Curtis Choy, Connie Young Yu. Weekly news, dramatic satire, interviews.
9. OCTV News	1975	Franklin Wu, First regular newscast for overseas Chinese Americans in San Francisco.
10. Balitaan	1975	Royal F. Morales*, Social Worker, UCLA Filipino American studies lecturer.

*Asterisk indicates Passed away

FOR MORE CONVENTION COVERAGE:

AAJA 2010 OPENING RECEPTION PHOTO GALLERY, click here

CREDITS: Individuals and organizations that assisted in the production of the Opening Reception can be seen here

PIONEER GROUP PHOTO: To see an enlarged version of the photo including all 36 Pioneers, click here.

Q&A: Five minutes with National Convention co-chair Leezel Tanglao

TWITTER: The AAJA National Convention in 140 characters

SLIDESHOW: Time machine back to the AAJA National Convention with “Joz”