In recent years, there’s been significant momentum to boost connections, advocacy and historical remembrance within St. Louis’ Asian American community. Min Liu, a professor at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, said that increased interest has now been met with action.
“Here in St. Louis, we continue to honor the legacy of the Chinese community that existed here from 1857,” she said. Liu leads an Asian American Civic Scholars youth group, and she added that such efforts provide the high schoolers with “a wonderful sense of feeling like they belong here — feeling like there is a history they can connect to.”
Liu joined Thursday’s St. Louis on the Air to discuss efforts to bring new light to the contributions of early Chinese immigrants in St. Louis, including the recognition of the 100th anniversary of the historic Chinese cemetery at Valhalla Funeral Chapel, Crematory and Cemetery and the honorary street naming of "On Leong Way" along a portion of 8th Street in Downtown where St. Louis’ Chinatown was located until it was torn down in the 1960s.
The St. Louis Board of Aldermen voted unanimously to rename the street in June.
“It makes me feel really proud,” said former St. Louis resident Janet Leong, whose family was well known and influential among Chinese immigrants living in St. Louis in the mid-20th century. The family restaurant, Asia Cafe (later called Asia Food), was the last business standing in Chinatown.
“I'm just delighted that there's recognition that there was a Chinese community that was very much alive and part of St. Louis,” she added, “and that the recognition is an outward sign that others now will know about it and be able to learn more.”
For Danny Poon, events director with the Very Asian Foundation and founder of St. Louis Pan Asian Collective, the honorary street designation feels like a “welcome home.”
“It's like, ‘Welcome home to all the stories of the past,’ and for us to kind of think more about the lives that were [lived] here, but also welcome home to Asian Americans who want to call this place home,” he said. “I'm hoping that other people, even if they're not Asian, are able to see the street and see that St. Louis is really diverse and we're working towards a more inclusive city.”
The installation date for the street signs is uncertain. Poon and other community organizers are currently working with the City of St. Louis to find a vendor with the ability to print a street sign with Chinese characters.
“That's been a huge roadblock for us,” Poon said, adding that otherwise, it’s been a fairly easy process. “I'm super excited about this very physical representation of Asian Americans here in St. Louis, specifically, Chinese Americans.”
To hear more about the experiences of early Chinese immigrants to St. Louis — and the effort to keep those stories alive today — hear Elaine Cha’s conversation with Danny Poon, Janet Leong and professor Min Liu on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or by clicking the play button below.
Related Event
What: Centennial Celebration of Chinese Cemetery at Valhalla
When: 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. July 21
Where: Valhalla Funeral Chapel, Crematory and Cemetery (2287 Bergamot Ave., St Louis, MO 63133)
“St. Louis on the Air” brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. The show is produced by Ulaa Kuziez, Miya Norfleet, Emily Woodbury, Danny Wicentowski, Elaine Cha and Alex Heuer. Roshae Hemmings is our production assistant. The audio engineer is Aaron Doerr.
