The Story of Ing (Doc) Hay-Frontier Herbalist-feature

From: Dmae Roberts
Series: Crossing East - Asian American History series
Length: 09:10

The Story of Ing (Doc) Hay is about a frontier herbalist and acupuncturist in John Day, Oregon. Read the full description.

Piece Audio

Playing: The Story of Ing (Doc) Hay-Frontier Herbalist-feature
From: Dmae Roberts

Dochaylow_small "Doc Hay - Frontier Herbalist" tells the unusual and significant story of Doc Hay and his business partner and friend Lung On who ran the Kam Wah Chung store and medical practice in the small Eastern Oregon town of John Day shortly after the Gold Rush and into the 1950's. Unlike other parts of the country where lynchings and massacres of Chinese immigrants were the norm, these two men were respected members of the community and are still remembered by John Day residents. This is the eight-minute feature excerpted from the hour-long documentary of the same name. Aired on NPR's Day To Day program. "Doc Hay" was funded by the Regional Arts and Culture Council and the Oregon Council for the Humanities and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and will be part of an eight-part national series Crossing East in May 2006 for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. For more info visit: CrossingEast.org

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Piece Description

"Doc Hay - Frontier Herbalist" tells the unusual and significant story of Doc Hay and his business partner and friend Lung On who ran the Kam Wah Chung store and medical practice in the small Eastern Oregon town of John Day shortly after the Gold Rush and into the 1950's. Unlike other parts of the country where lynchings and massacres of Chinese immigrants were the norm, these two men were respected members of the community and are still remembered by John Day residents. This is the eight-minute feature excerpted from the hour-long documentary of the same name. Aired on NPR's Day To Day program. "Doc Hay" was funded by the Regional Arts and Culture Council and the Oregon Council for the Humanities and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and will be part of an eight-part national series Crossing East in May 2006 for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. For more info visit: CrossingEast.org

Broadcast History

Aired on NPR's Day To Day program.

Transcript

HOST INTRO:

Life was hard back in the 1880’s. An economic depression in the U.S forced many to find work into the West. Chinese laborers also came but were viewed as threats by whites. On the frontier Chinese immigrants were often lynched or massacred. But in the dry sage brush hills of Eastern Oregon—in the small town of John Day—a Chinatown emerged. Thanks in large part to an unusual doctor named Ing Hay. He was herbalist and acupuncturist who became Doc Hay. His doctor’s office operated out of a general store named the Kam Wah Chung. Producer Dmae Roberts has this story of his legacy.

SOUND OF WALKING AND DOOR OPENING

NAR: A SMALL TWO-STORY HOUSE, THE KAM WAH CHUNG GENERAL STORE STANDS DARK AND CLAUSTROPHOBIC. THE FLOOR BOARDS CREAK AND THE WALLS ARE BLACK FROM SMOKE.

MICNIHIMER: They did cook on the wood stove. Doc Hay, when he started using his medicines, he co...
Read the full transcript

Timing and Cues

HOST INTRO:

Life was hard back in the 1880’s. An economic depression in the U.S forced many to find work into the West. Chinese laborers also came but were viewed as threats by whites. On the frontier Chinese immigrants were often lynched or massacred. But in the dry sage brush hills of Eastern Oregon—in the small town of John Day—a Chinatown emerged. Thanks in large part to an unusual doctor named Ing Hay. He was herbalist and acupuncturist who became Doc Hay. His doctor’s office operated out of a general store named the Kam Wah Chung. Producer Dmae Roberts has this story of his legacy.

HOST OUTRO: DMAE ROBERTS PRODUCED THIS STORY FOR THE CROSSING EAST RADIO SERIES.