Nellie Yip Quong (née Nellie Tower; 1882–1949) was a Canadian midwife, feminist, and social activist.Vancouver Heritage Foundation Weekly: Places That Matter ~ Nellie Yip Quong House — Vancouver Is Awesome She and her husband Charlie Yip Quong were among the first mixed Chinese/European married couple in Vancouver.When An Old House Whispers...: History Walking Tours in Vancouver's Old East End For over four decades, she worked tirelessly to improve the conditions of Chinese living in Canada.Nellie Yip's House - YouTube In 2008, she was designated a Person of National Historic Significance for being a "bold and outspoken advocate for her adopted community, she served as an intermediary between the Euro-Canadian and Chinese Canadian societies."Yip Quong, Nellie National Historic Person
Biography Yip Quong was born in Saint John, New Brunswick née Nellie Tower. She went to the United States for private education. Afterwards, she worked as an English teacher in New York City. While teaching, she met Charlie Yip Quong, a Chinese jeweller from Vancouver.
On 28 August 1898, she married Charlie Yip Quong at Chelsea, Massachusetts,https://www.familysearch.org back when interracial marriages were rare. After some time in both New York City and Vancouver, the couple went to China. In 1904, they returned to Vancouver.
Nellie was accepted into Vancouver's Chinese community and was actively involved in the Ladies Empire Reform Association, the only non-Chinese woman, in this political organization. There is a 1904 photograph of the Ladies Chinese Reform Association in the City of Vancouver Archives,File – Photograph of Chinese Empire Ladies' Reform Association which includes her image.
In 1917, Charlie and Nellie moved to 783 East Pender Street where they raised their daughter Eleanor (Lum). There she provided health and social services in Chinese, that were not available in Vancouver due to racism.Nellie Yip Quong and International Women’s Day | Dundurn Among the services provided was midwifery, where she aided in the delivery of about 500 babies. She also arranged adoptions for single mothers.The Nellie Yip House on 783 East Pender Street | Chinese Canadian Stories
Eventually, she was hired by the Chinese Benevolent Association of Vancouver as the first public health nurse for the Chinese population. She also acted as an interpreter in Vancouver and translated court cases. In addition, she "convinced the Vancouver General Hospital to end their policy of keeping all non-Caucasian patients in the basement."Nellie Yip Quong and International Women’s Day | Defining Canada
Designation Yip Quong's designation was initiated by Dr. Imogene Lim,VIU Department of Anthropology | Faculty Professor, Anthropology, Vancouver Island University, a relative by marriage, and supported by Mrs. Yip Quong's daughter Eleanor Lum and her granddaughter Starlet Lum.Julie Chadwick: Researcher honours her heritage – Nanaimo Region – Nanaimo Daily News Her plaque was unveiled, May 13, 2017, in a ceremony in Vancouver's Chinatown.New plaque commemorates Vancouver Chinatown's significance in immigrant history – Vancouver Sun
Legacy On May 25, 2013, the Nellie Yip House received a 'Places That Matter' plaque, written in English and Chinese, from the Vancouver Heritage Foundation.Places That Matter | Nellie Yip Quong House Nellie has also been honoured by the Vancouver Public Library; the nə́c̓aʔmat ct Strathcona Branch has named a community room after her.Vancouver Public Library | Nellie Yip Quong Room
Trivia Yip Quong spoke Cantonese, four regional dialects and some Mandarin. Yip Quong was colour blind. Jimi Hendrix's grandparents, Ross and Nora Hendrix, lived in the same house in Vancouver as the Yip Quoungs. Subsequent to the Yip Quong's departure, the house had become a brothel.
References
External links Nellie Yip's House, a short film about Nellie Yip Quong made by the students of UBC.