People - San Francisco 1920

Im Jeong-gu (1886-1939): Immigration Mission and Service

Read in Korean Born in Pyongyang in 1886, he received little education but was baptized by Dr. Noble in Pyongyang, which opened his eyes to Western culture. Driven by a passion for learning, he went to Hawaii in 1905 and later settled in San Francisco. In 1914, he enrolled at the University of California, Berkeley,…
Lee Beom-young (1892-1982): Lived by Walking for Independence Funds

Read in Korean In 1913, at the age of 20, he came to San Francisco to study abroad and dedicated 60 years of his life solely to the independence of Korea while living in Los Angeles, Danuba, and San Francisco. After the March 1st Movement, he served as the local president of the Korean National…
Lee Dae-Wi (David Lee) (1878–1928): A Life of Sacrifice and Service

Read in Korean Born in Pyongyang, Pyeongnam, he graduated from Soongsil Middle School, a Christian school, and came to the United States in 1903 for the purpose of studying abroad. In 1903, he organized a social club in San Francisco with Ahn Chang-ho and took the lead in the movement to improve the living conditions…
Lee Gang (1878-1964): Chief Editor of the Public Shinbo

Read in Korean Born in Hwangsan, Pyongan Province, he learned classical Chinese from the age of 7 to 17 and joined the Methodist Church. In 1903, he applied for immigration through the American Development Company, went to Hawaii to learn English for a year, and then moved to the mainland United States. He had known…
Yang Joo-sam (1879 – Missing): Publisher of the First Korean Monthly Magazine ‘Daedo’

Read in Korean Yang Joo-sam arrived in San Francisco in 1906, during a time when the city was struggling with the aftermath of a devastating earthquake. He was on his way to the East Coast for further studies, with the intention of dedicating himself to serving his country and its people. However, his deep love…
Yoon Eung-ho (1880–1979): Living by the Spirit of Dosan, the 15th Member of the Heungsadan

Read in Korean Born in Anju, Pyeongan Province, Yoon Eung-ho expanded his knowledge of foreign affairs while transporting food for the Japanese army to Manchuria. At the age of 24, in 1904, he immigrated to Hawaii for labor and met Yoon Chi-ho, who had come to investigate the local immigration situation on the emperor’s orders,…
Baek Il-gyu (1880-1962): Founder of the Korean Boy Soldiers School

Read in Korean Yak San (pen name) Baek Il-gyu immigrated with the aim of studying in the United States. He arrived in Hawaii in May 1905 and moved to San Francisco in August of the following year. In March 1907, he was one of the initiators in the establishment of the Daedong Bogukhoe (Great Eastern…
Song Jong-ik (1887–1956): Funding for the Independence Movement

Read in Korean He was responsible for supporting court cases, securing funding, and negotiating with lawyers, raising awareness in the American media about Japan’s aggressive intentions and the inevitability of Korea’s independence. In 1913, he served as one of the representatives from the eight provinces at the founding conference of the Heungsadan in San Francisco,…