Tom Young Chan (, September 25, 1881 – September 3, 1944) was an American businessman and civic leader. Based in Chicago, Chan was a leading supporter of the Kuomintang in the United States, and helped raise money for both Sun Yat-sen and General Chiang Kai-shek. In addition, he raised money in the form of war bonds for the United States during World War II. He is the grandfather of actress Lauren Tom.

Biography

Tom Young Chan was born in the village of Yakou in Zhongshan, Guangdong Province, China. He was the second of seven children. His surname is actually "Tom", but his Anglicized name failed to recognize that Chinese give their surnames first. A journalist for the Chicago Daily News described him as a "handsome, smiling Chinese with leaping eyebrows" who spoke "halting English."

Political activities

During the Century of Progress World's Fair (1933-34), Chan had a noodle factory demonstration as well as a demonstration of how bean sprouts are grown.

Death

Chan died on September 3, 1944, at the age of 62, 22 days before his 63rd birthday. Thousands turned out for a man who had helped to raise more than $4 million during the last war bond drive for his adopted country. As prominent as he was, however, he was not allowed to be buried next to his late wife, Mary Goo, in Rosehill Cemetery, Chicago, Illinois, for what some believe to be racist reasons. He is buried at Mount Auburn Cemetery, Stickney, Illinois.