Biography
Dr. Raymond Douglas Chong (Zhang Weiming) is a distinguished public historian, journalist, and creative producer based in Sugar Land, Texas. A sixth-generation American-Born Chinese (ABC) with roots dating back to the California Gold Rush, since 2003, Dr. Chong documented the “Zhang Clan Odyssey”—a multi-generational saga spanning from the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad to the neon-lit nightclubs of 1940s San Francisco, since 1849.
As a freelance writer for AsAmNews, Dr. Chong provides deep historical context on the AAPI experience, covering subjects from the first Asian American NFL superstar, Roman Gabriel, to the “Lost Kinjo” (Japantowns) of California. His work is uniquely informed by his family’s direct involvement in AAPI history; his father, Gim Suey Chong, was a partner in the legendary Kubla Khan Theater Restaurant and a mainstay at the Far East Cafe in Little Tokyo.
Dr. Chong is a featured collaborator with My China Roots, where his extensive genealogical research is showcased as a primary case study for Chinese diaspora history. He is the Principal of Generations, LLC, and executive producer of the documentary MY ODYSSEY – Between Two Worlds. In addition to his creative work, he is a licensed Professional Engineer (P.E.) and a Specially Appointed Professor at Shandong Jiaotong University. This rare combination of technical expertise and historical narrative makes him a sought-after speaker for newsrooms and academic institutions alike.
Articles, Publications, and Appearances
- Genealogy & Ancestry:
- My China Roots: The Zhang Clan Odyssey – A Digital Family History https://www.mychinaroots.com/samples/zhang-odyssey/
- Family Heritage:
- Gim Suey Chong – His Life from Hoyping to Gum Saan https://chineselovepoetry.com/gim-suey-chong-hoyping-to-gum-saan.pdf
- TEDx Presentation: The American Dream – The Zhang Clan Odyssey on Gold Mountain https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RAD0AaewGY
- AAPI History & Culture (AsAmNews):
- The Quarterback Titan: Remembering Roman Gabriel, Jr. https://asamnews.com/2026/01/03/first-filipino-american-quarterback-hall-of-fame/
- They tried to erase us: The Sikh story that refused to die https://asamnews.com/2025/09/03/bellingham-washington-race-riots-anti-indian-immigration/
- AsAmNews to begin 8 city Lost Kinjo tour in California https://asamnews.com/2024/04/29/systematic-discrimination-segregation-constitution-violated-japanese-americans-free-talk-raymond-chong-historian/
- How a Chinese restaurant and its neon sign became an institution in Little Tokyo https://asamnews.com/2019/10/31/how-a-chinese-restaurant-and-its-neon-sign-became-an-institution-in-little-tokyo/
- The Kubla Khan At The Gateway of San Francisco Chinatown https://asamnews.com/2019/10/24/the-kubla-khan-at-the-gateway-of-san-francisco-chinatown/
- Media & Podcasts:
- Ken Fong Podcast: Episode 338: Raymond Douglas Chong – Asian America https://asianamericapodcast.com/2021/11/raymond-douglas-chong/
- ITV Cantonese Story – Story of Raymond Chong (Zhang Weiming) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRcDmR0qVtU
- Films & Documentaries:
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- My Odyssey – Between Two Worlds (The Raymond Douglas Chong Story) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJeachU23F8
- THE FIRST TRANSCONTINENTAL RAILROAD – Summit Tunnel Narration https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAtafixX4PY&t=5s