Climbing Gold Mountain, Gum Sahn: Chinese Pioneers in the Western Frontier

Many Americans, including those of Chinese heritage, are unfamiliar with the tremendous role Chinese pioneers played in settling the Western frontier. Chinese pioneers were railroad workers, loggers, miners, and even cowboys in the West’s rural communities.

Despite frequent hostility and adversity, Chinese pioneers persevered and thrived. Their success is strikingly relevant today, in an era when immigration continues to be a divisive topic. This presentation offers an opportunity to enlarge contemporary views with past immigrant experiences.

Having married into a family with four generations of Chinese-American family history, Rebecca Hom has had close experiences with the history of Chinese pioneers and has gathered numerous oral and written accounts of Chinese pioneer families’ experiences. Through the art of storytelling, Rebecca brings these personal stories to life, opening eyes to the often forgotten contributions of Chinese pioneers in settling the West.

Rebecca Hom

A workshop leader and professional storyteller for more than 20 years, Rebecca Hom has presented to a wide range of groups and in a range of settings, from toddlers to seniors, from parenting workshops to diversity conferences. In 2009, the live performance video, Rebecca Hom: Plenty Live! was selected as a Storytelling World honoree for adult listeners. Hom has been an award-winning member of Toastmasters, Alaska Press Women, and the Alaska State Historical Society. She has travelled extensively throughout the West and to China gathering research about early Chinese-American settlers.