GREENVILLE – Asian-Americans from all around came to Greenville today to honor a pioneering journalist who started out here in The Delta.

The Mississippi Delta Chinese Heritage Museum and The Chinese American Citizens Alliance celebrated the unveiling of this marker honoring Sam Chu Lin.

Born in Greenwood in 1939, he grew up in Greenville and was one of the first Asian American broadcast and print journalists to work for major television networks.

He was the first CBS reporter to broadcast Saigon’s fall and the Vietnam War’s end.

Carolyn Hong Chan, a childhood friend of Sam Chu Lin, calls him a pioneer of broadcasting in America.

“He is one of the oldest, earliest Asian American broadcast journalists in America, even preceding Connie Chung, and we consider him a pioneer in broadcasting in America” said Chan.

She says the marker’s unveiling is essential to remember to celebrate Sam’s Career.

“Today, it’s very important, because we have to have recognition of the contributions of Chinese Americans to our country’s history” said Chan.

Delta State Archivist C.T. Salazar says it is important to celebrate Sam’s Delta connection.

“and really just understand this history and understand how it implicates us and what we can do to remember and to move forward” said Salazar.

Meanwhile, Chan says she is glad that people are recognizing Sam Chu Lin’s and Chinese American’s historical contributions to the nation and here in The Delta.

“we have a place here as Chinese Americans in American history, and we have to have a feeling of sense of belonging, because we are part of the history of this area of Mississippi, its economy and its development” said Chan.