Delaware County Leaders Tour the Philip Jaisohn Memorial House in Media as Part of Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Released: May 25, 2023

Delaware County Council Vice Chair Elaine Paul Schaefer was honored to join leaders from the County’s Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Equity (DEI), Planning Department, Health Department, Human Services, and Executive Office on May 24 for a tour of the Philip Jaisohn Memorial House in Media, PA, in recognition of Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month. The tour was also part of the County’s ongoing efforts to embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion through expanded engagement with diverse community groups and organizations.

During the visit, members of the County team learned about the life and work of Dr. Philip Jaisohn, a Korean political refugee who became a titanic figure in the early 20th century Korean Independence Movement and who drew inspiration in his efforts to establish a free and democratic Korea from America’s own struggle for independence. In 1890, Dr. Jaisohn was the first Korean American to earn US citizenship, and two years later became the first Korean to receive an American medical degree.

The visit was scheduled to coincide with Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month.

Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month, also known as Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AAPI) is an annual celebration in May that recognizes the contributions and influence of Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander descent recognized in the United States. The AAPI umbrella term includes cultures from the entire Asian continent—including East, Southeast, and South Asia—and the Pacific Islands of Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia.

Asian American and Pacific Islanders make up about 7% of the population in the United States. AAPI cultures have been contributing and helping to shape the United Sates. From science to psychology, medicine to technology, and even YouTube, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have truly made a very large impact on the basic things we use today.

The County thanks George Choe, President/CEO of the Jaisohn Center, and Kyunghee Seo, Community Outreach & Memorial House Program, for an informative tour and a great afternoon!

About the Philip Jaisohn Memorial House:

The Philip Jaisohn Memorial House, located on East Lincoln Street in Media, was home to Dr. Philip Jaisohn and his family for twenty-five years. From the home Dr. Jaisohn led his life as a father, husband, physician and neighbor, and as a proud, grateful, engaged American citizen.

Built in a stately Federalist style in red brick, the Philip Jaisohn Memorial House is modest in scale, and sits on a small hill that overlooks a nature sanctuary which Muriel, his daughter, bequeathed to the borough of Media upon her death. Opened to the public in 1990, today, the Philip Jaisohn Memorial House displays many historic photos, records and relics and is free to the public. The Foundation welcomes visitors interested in viewing the exhibit inside the house as well as strolling the surrounding garden.

For more information about the Philip Jaisohn Memorial House, the Jaisohn Center, and the Jaisohn Memorial Foundation, please visit their website at https://jaisohn.org/