Remembering Douglas Lee

The Association is saddened to announce that Dr. Douglas Lee passed away on May 24, 2024. He was the first AAAS president from 1979 to 1980. During its formative stage, the Association’s official structure was still in flux. Dr. Lee was a member of a pioneering group of scholars which included Sucheng Chan, Don Nakanishi, Gary Okihiro, Shirley Hune, Sucheta Mazumdar, and Gail Nomura among others that helped establish what was then called the Asian/Pacific American Studies Association.

Dr. Lee taught at various institutions including Lewis and Clark College, Linfield College, Pacific Lutheran University, University of Washington, University of Oregon, Portland State University, and De Anza College. His field of specialization was Chinese American History from1850 to1950. He was the co-founder and served as president of the Chinese Historical Society of the Pacific Northwest. He also served as the first journal editor of The Annals of the Chinese Historical Society of the Pacific Northwest. He authored four volumes of the Gum-Shaan Chronicles: The Early History of Cantonese Americans 1850-1900. He was a member of the Chinese Historical Society of America (San Francisco).