New Sampan Article: Ruby Foo, Chinatown’s First Woman Restaurateur (Part 2)

"The most interesting feature of Chinese life to me was that on board their boats, or sampans, as they are called....Upon these boats live whole families of three and even four generations."
--The Fall River Daily Herald, November 20, 1888

As I mentioned previously, I have a new writing gig, contributing to Sampan, the only bilingual Chinese-English Newspaper in New England. I've previously written three articles for Sampan, including, In Search of the First Chinese Restaurant in Chinatown, Malden’s First Chinese Restaurant, Quincy's First Chinese Restaurants, and Ruby Foo, Chinatown’s First Woman Restaurateur (Part 1). My newest article, the second of two parts, is now available, Ruby Foo, Chinatown’s First Woman Restaurateur (Part 2).

Around 1929, an enterprising and pioneering Chinese woman, Ruby Foo, seized an opportunity, thwarted norms, and opened a Chinese restaurant in Boston’s Chinatown. Her story is fascinating though unfortunately her life was far too short. Despite dying too early, Ruby made a significant impact, and her legacy is and should still be cherished.

This second part of my article discusses the success of Ruby Foo, from Chinese food delivery to expanding her restaurant empire to other parts of the country, from canned Ruby Foo's Den food to her eventual acquisition of a liquor license. Two of her children continued to operate the restaurant after the passing of Ruby Foo, earning accolades from the press for their excellent management of this iconic Chinese restaurant. Ruby's tale is fascinating and her endeavors helped to define and shape Boston's Chinatown.

I'm currently working on a new article for the next issue of Sampan, which will be published next month.

What is a "sampan?" The newspaper's site states, "A sampan is a popular river boat in traditional China. This small but useful vessel, by transporting cargo from large boats to the village ports, creates a channel of communication among villages." And like that type of boat, Sampan delivers news and information all across New England, and "acts a bridge between Asian American community organizations and individuals in the Greater Boston area."

Sampan, which was founded in 1972, is published by the nonprofit Asian American Civic Association, "The newspaper covers topics that are usually overlooked by the mainstream press, such as key immigration legislation, civil rights, housing, education, day-care services and union activities. These issues are crucial to the well-being of Asian immigrants, refugees, low-income families as well as individuals who are not proficient in the English language."

There is plenty of interest in Sampan which will appeal to all types of readers, from restaurant reviews to historical articles, from vital news stories to travel items. In these current days when racism and prejudice against Asians and their restaurants is high, it's more important than ever that accurate information about the Asian community is disseminated and promoted. We need to combat the irrational prejudices that some possess, and support our Asian communities just as we would support any other element of our overall community. We are all important aspects of a whole, and we need to stand together.

Support Sampan!