Madame Chiang Kai-Shek

Madame Chiang Kai-shek, birth name, Soong May-ling, was born on March 5, 1898. She was the youngest of three daughters. In 1912, May-ling moved to the U.S. to attend university and eventually graduated from Wellesley College. In 1927, she married Chiang Kai-shek, who later became the leader of the Kuomintang. She wielded tremendous influence in both China and overseas through her position as the First Lady of the Republic of China. She made several diplomatic visits to the U.S. to lobby support for the Chinese war efforts during World War II, drawing crowds of up to 30,000 people during her 1943 tour, which is pictured above at her stops in New York and San Francisco. She captured audiences with her political tact and eloquent speeches. She emphasized the similarities between China and the U.S. She also further emphasized the need for a united Chinese and American war effort on the Asian front. Moreover, her comments against anti-Chinese discrimination in the U.S. helped to influence American policy. Her legacy prompted more Chinese Americans to participate in the war effort against the Axis Powers, and effectively helped many leave the traditional restaurant or laundry businesses that defined early Chinese immigration to the U.S. Madame Chiang Kai-Shek’s education and confidence empowered Chinese Americans to see themselves as products of the American Dream, and actively take steps to fulfill their ideals. A global icon in her own right, in 1943, she would grace the cover of Time Magazine for the third time.