Historical Moments in Medicine: Spotlight on Margaret Chung
Key takeaways:
Dr. Margaret Chung was the first American-born Chinese woman physician. She was a strong advocate for women’s rights, particularly in the military force.
Some of her notable contributions included helping establish the first juvenile mental health institute in Chicago and founding the first Western medical practice in San Francisco’s Chinatown.
Margaret was fondly known as “Mother Chung” to her community. Though she never married or had children, she brought many “adopted sons” into her surrogate family.
American history is filled with people who overcame various obstacles to achieve their dreams. One of these people is Dr. Margaret Chung. Margaret fought against poverty, misogyny, and racism from an early age to accomplish her ambition of becoming a doctor. And at the age of 26, she became the first reported Chinese-American woman to graduate from medical school.
After graduation, Margaret continued to fight for her spot at the table. Even though she was denied many opportunities due to her race and gender, her skills and talent were undeniable.
Over time, and despite many obstacles, she was able to establish her own private medical practice. Through her philanthropy and advocacy efforts, she also made room for others. The impact that Margaret left on the world is still felt today, and her story will continue to inspire generations of women to come.
Brief biography
Margaret’s story began in Santa Barbara, California in 1889. She and her 11 younger siblings grew up on Rancho Guadalasca, where their father was the foreman. Her parents had emigrated from China in the 1870’s, riding the wave of immigration that peaked between the years of 1840 to 1882.
Margaret decided that she wanted to pursue a career in medicine when she was just 10 years old. Her dream was to someday become a medical missionary in China. “My first love was surgery,” Margaret wrote in a journal later in life. “As a very young child, having no dolls or toys to play with, I would frequently take banana peels or cabbage stems and make believe I was operating upon them.”
In 1902, Margaret’s family settled down in Los Angeles. But in 1916, when her mother contracted tuberculosis and died, Margaret was left to care for her younger siblings while also attending school. Her father died several years later in a streetcar accident.
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Education
Margaret was determined to study medicine but still had to work to support her family. As a teenager, she traveled door to door to hundreds of Los Angeles households, selling subscriptions to the Los Angeles Times.
Her efforts won her a scholarship, which allowed her to attend the USC Preparatory Academy, and later the University of Southern California (USC). But even with her scholarship, she had to find additional sources of income to fund her education. So she worked in the school cafeteria and participated in speech contests to win cash prizes.
During her time in medical school, Margaret wore masculine clothing and went by the name “Mike.” In her graduation picture, she wore a “mannish” shirt and slicked her hair back, possibly in an attempt to fit in more with her male classmates.
In 1916, she graduated from the USC’s College of Physicians and Surgeons. She was the only woman and person of color in her graduating class. She was also the first American-born Chinese female doctor.
Medical career and contributions to community
Despite her prestigious education, Margaret found it very difficult to find post-graduate work. Her childhood dream of becoming a medical missionary was crushed by the Presbyterian missionary board, who denied her the opportunity because of her race.
But Margaret didn’t give up on her mission to heal people. She managed to find an opportunity in Chicago, studying under Dr. Bertha Van Hoosen — the founder of the American Medical Women’s Association. As a medical resident, she cared for patients with mental health conditions, which led her to help establish Chicago’s first juvenile mental health institute.
Returning to California
After a few years, Margaret switched tracks to work at a railroad hospital in Los Angeles. Using what she learned, she soon launched a private plastic surgery practice. Margaret’s expertise soon gathered several Hollywood celebrities as clients.
In the early 1920s, Margaret moved to San Francisco’s Chinatown. She wanted to give back to her community and establish a medical practice caring for Chinese Americans. Although she was successful in helping establish the first Western hospital, she struggled to gain acceptance from local residents.
Part of the problem was that Margaret practiced Western medicine — something unfamiliar to many Chinatown residents at the time. But the greater concern was that she was a single woman who still presented herself in masculine dress and mannerisms.
This, along with intimate relationships with women, such as Elsa Gidlow and Sophie Tucker, prompted rumors about Margaret's sexuality. Margaret never confirmed or denied these rumors.
But after some time, Margaret finally won the hearts of Chinatown locals with her skills and expertise, and became a strong community figure.
War efforts
Margaret was known to be a passionate patriot and supporter of the military. During the Sino-Japanese War, which took place between 1937 and 1945, she served as a volunteer frontline surgeon and helped recruit pilots.
At the start of the war, she was approached by the U.S. Navy Reserves ensign Steven G. Bancroft for her help in forging connections with the Chinese military. She didn’t have the kind of relationships or authority to aid in this effort, but she did form a friendship with Bancroft. And before long, several of Bancroft’s military peers also became close friends with Margaret.
Margaret’s ‘adopted sons’
Margaret’s special relationship with servicemen continued through World War II. Her home became a hub for social gatherings amongst the military force. She organized hundreds of “rice bowl parties” in over 700 cities to raise funds for war efforts. She sent letters and care packages to those serving in the frontlines. This earned Margaret the nickname of “Mother.”
In her autobiography, Margaret discusses how she earned the name, writing that one night, one of the pilots “spoke up and said, ‘Gee, you are as understanding as a mother, and we are going to adopt you; but, hell, you are an old maid, and you haven’t got a father for us.’ Feeling facetious that night, I cracked back at them, ‘Well, that makes you a lot of fair-haired bastards, doesn’t it?’”
From then on, Margaret was fondly referred to as “Mother” by her “fair-haired bastards.” By the end of World War II, the group of men she connected with and considered as her adopted family grew to 1500.
Creation of WAVES
Margaret was a strong advocate for increasing the role of women in the U.S. military. She was a major player in the creation of the organization WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service). This was a special reserve corps of women to serve in the Navy.
WAVES was successfully launched in 1942. But Margaret didn’t get credit for her work. She was also banned from participating in her own program because of her race and alleged homosexuality.
Death and legacy
Margaret died from cancer on January 5, 1959 at the age of 69. She spent her final days in a house that her surrogate “sons” gifted her. At her funeral, her pallbearers included San Francisco Mayor George Christopher, Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, and conductor Andre Kostelanetz.
Margaret’s lifelong impact inspired a comic book feature, film, and documentary. She was a notable member of organizations such as the Women’s Auxiliary League of the Chinese American League of Justice in LA, Chinese Protective Association, and the Chinese Women’s Reform Club, among others.
Her philanthropic activities in Chinatown and beyond were important for advocating for mental health and women’s rights in America.
The bottom line
Dr. Margaret Chung was a source of strength and healing for countless people throughout her lifetime. She was a pioneer for women of color in the medical field, treating patients from Hollywood to Chinatown. And she challenged gender and sexuality norms in a way that, at the time, was very radical.
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References
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National Park Service. (2021). Women accepted for voluntary emergency services.
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Rasmussen, C. (2021). Chinese American was ‘Mom’ to 1,000 servicemen. Los Angeles Times.
Salvo, V. (n.d.). Dr. Margaret Chung - Inductee. The Legacy Project.
Stanford Libraries. (n.d.). Dr. Margaret Chung.
Takemoto, T. T. (2021). Ever wanting (for Margeret Chung). Center for Asian American Media PResents CAAMFest.
University of California, Berkeley Ethnic Studies Library. (2000). Guide to the Margaret Chung papers, 1880-1958 (bulk 1942-1944). Online Archive of California.
Unladylike 2020. (2020). Margaret Chung.
Unladylike. (2020). Margaret Chung. IMDb.
Walker, M. (2022). Dr. Margaret Chung: First American born Chinese woman physician. Library of Congress Blogs.
