Today we honor Dr. S. K. Chan mentioned as one of Oregon’s historical women and though information on her life is limited, the timing of Dr. Chan’s life occurred during the Chinese Exclusion Act, a strict anti-chinese immigration law that was passed in 1882. Dr. Chan was living in Oregon during a time when Chinese people, and specifically Chinese women were uncommon to encounter in Oregon and often mistreated. They were often restricted by US immigration, making it difficult for them to move to the US at all and if they did find a way, they had to prove that they were of high moral and ethical values (not a prostitute) which would have been potentially a very difficult and intrusive process. Because there is such a limit to her story, we have quoted our source directly for this spotlight and have included their website so that you might see more if you are interested.
“Dr. S. K. Chan, was not only a physician, but also the president of the Chinese American Equal Suffrage Society for Chinese women in Portland. While much of their work is currently unknown, it is clear that Oregon suffragists were affiliated with Chinese American women’s groups located in the Portland area. Dr. Chan spoke at a suffrage luncheon noting that Oregon was now surrounded by states. Idaho, California and Washington all had extended the franchise to women, and across the Pacific Ocean, Chinese women had this basic right of citizenship. Dr. Chan ended with the hope that Oregon women would soon share the right to vote.
Dr. Chan's daughter, Bertie, often served as her mother's interpreter and was one of the "eight pretty maidens" on the suffragist's Rose Festival float in 1912.”
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