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Today is May 29th. My name is Ian Kim and I'm here today with Nam Young Park on behalf of the Houston Asian American Archive at Rice University. This is a continuation of the interview we were doing. Thank you so much for your time.

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All right. Welcome. And—so starting off where we left—where we stopped, can we talk about your college life in the United States after retirement in the military?

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All right. So this. I'm coming to the USA in 1956, September 11. At that airport, my mama gave me a piece of paper

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which was written about farewell to the son. She asked me, "son, come to the USA or will come to the home when you finish your education." But I didn't achieve my

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purpose, so I wrote my parents after I finished school. "My dear daddy and mommy, I like to stay in America. I got a lot of things to do." Then I stay

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home when I come here. Houston, as the first immigrant, I noticed a need. Students who were educated in USA to help the Korean immigrants.

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We need Korean churches, Korean associations, Korean organizations, and so on. So my college life began September 12th in American

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date. I had $10 in my pocket and one plastic travel bag full of the book with two pairs of underwear, two pairs of shirts. And fortunately, I

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dressed well for the next three days, the airplane trips. So when I arrived in Seattle, Washington, first thing I was surprised at looking at the bathroom.

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Hot running water everywhere and free. So I wrote a letter to my father. "Father, I noticed the hot water is running everywhere in the bathroom.

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Free. A wonderful country." Now life began at the Davison College. First day when I arrived the bus station, I wasn't sure which bathroom I should go.

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I saw this sign at white only and so on. At that time, from behind, one of the students asked me, "are you Nam Young Pak from Korea?" "Yes." And they said, we are

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actually three students. "We are from Davidson College, Phi Delta Theta fraternity." I didn't know what you mean. A fraternity or Phi Delta?

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But anyway, they said, "we are to pick you up for school." So driving on the 17 mile from school from Charlotte to Davison. Then

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when we arrived at the school at 11:30 in the evening, bright lights everywhere on the campus. I saw all women's-young women's dressed. It was like a wonderland.

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So, I asked my fellow students, "what are they doing? I thought. Davison College is a boys school." So they said, you know, kind of, I felt.

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All of a sudden I was watching a movie Gone with the Wind-Wind. Young women's dress and men's tuxedos. Then I see myself. I just coming from the war-torn country. College student.

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Wow. So my life began at Davison. It was a wonder. But the fraternity—at the beginning, they told me I

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am a guest student. And, you know, even I thought "I don't know what you mean guest student." So I could not join fraternity because of

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charter of Phi Delta fraternity and North Carolina Constitution. So anyway, I cannot protest, I cannot ask because I am a full scholarship student. I don't want to lose protesting at school.

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Then, 51 years later, I received a letter from President of Davison College. Surprised. "Namyong Park, you are now officially member of Davidson Phi

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Delta fraternity members. I thank they gave me my education. So, law is law. No reason to have a bad feeling.

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This American system. But I think the American system, if they found something wrong, they make it correct, then I apologize. And this is what exactly happened at my initiation for

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fraternities. So I had a wonderful four year education at Davidson. Another interesting things I have to mention—my senior year, through the

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fraternity, I had a first date and found Alina Park as my girlfriend. And our last senior year, Alina Park came to Charlotte to close to me some more

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time and then found the job of babysitting. It was a rainy day. That house, Alina working for the famous some Charlotte the

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movie—what about movie stars, movie programs and kind of—that lady was rich and somehow famous.

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Then I asked Alina to wash clothes. When I look at the clothes underwear, so Alina, not protest, kindly said, "I am hired, I know, that as their babysitter.

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Just I don't want to wash your clothes." At that point, instantly the lady said, "pack, leave house." So Alina took her bag and it was a rainy day in front of the house.

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I don't know how long she stayed, but the next neighbor saw that foreign student who was working for that lady. "How come I was standing and the rain to come?" they asked Alina, "what are you doing here?" "Well, I was kicked out because I don't

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want to wash the underwear." Then she took Alina to the-her friend happened to be one of the richest women in North Carolina, Mrs. Schoenith. She

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owned three summer houses. Do you remember the movie Hawaii Five-O? [IK: I have not watched that yet.] Yeah, the 1950 weekly show. [SJ: Oh, yeah. Look it up.] She owned.

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So anyway, after she stayed with her, Mrs. Schoenith wanted to adopt her as a daughter. But by the US law cannot adopt her if aged over 21. So she took care

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of Alina as a real daughter. This-this is a story of the kind of wonderland, you know, poor girl came as a foreign student in a rainy day. All of a sudden found the most rich

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North Carolina famous lady. We married. We married in the—I was surprised, and even wedding day, and she hired a driver, new car. And then this man was the finance

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officer to take off the all expenses. So now I am actually husband and I have pride and-and to pay some. But firstly, he warned me, "I'm a finance officer of this wedding, so I'm going to take up

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everything." So Mrs. Schoenith asked me, "so don't ask me any expenses. Just enjoy your honeymoon." So she sent me to the-her Miami. [laughs] Oh, boy. How would I say to God?

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How is he going to happen? This, you know, [SJ: how many people came to the wedding?] Yeah, they're from a poor country. So they were even, you know, mentioned my hot water the

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news. So anyway. How many people came to the wedding? We were blessed. We were blessed and we enjoyed the 19 acres of house.

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Huge. The two... flower, the—what they call?—house, plant house, every Sunday and Mrs. Schoenith take Alina and orchid to the hospitals and so on. Just a wonderful lady.

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And she became a board of trustees member of Davidson College because of the, you know, I am going to Davidson—she did good things. So I also served as the board of trustee member and the members 13 years,

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but, Montreat College in North Carolina. So I majored in history at Davidson College. But one thing happened.

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Becoming—not race problem—becoming a fraternity member after the year long 51 years. And I thank the school, it was a wonderful that kind of occasion. For North Carolina, for

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Davidson College, I got a one book of picture books. It's unforgettable memory. Do you have that letter—that—from the fraternity? [NP: Yes.] Now accepted [NP: Mhm] as a member.

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That's the [NP: right] kind of letter you want to leave it at the archive library. Yeah, I got it now. Oh, then next stage. After I become-

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Can we also talk about your, like, educational things in college? Like, why you chose to be a history major. Okay. Now, also, at Davidson College, I had a wonderful relationship with students and enjoyed. Then Davidson is a college—is

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the religious church related school. I was surprised to find out so many American early church missionary in Korea. In Gusan,

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Mokpo, Yeosu, the southern region. Later I met all retired—all met one of the most the-the-the memorable occasion. So at Davidson,

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my life—the spiritually developing. Tried to find more God's life and what God did. Why I was suffering when I was a child worshiping so many

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gods. So without asking any question, I decided I better go to seminary and study seminary. Then I wrote my father after finish school.

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Father, I am going Austin Presbyterian Seminary. Then my hometown was just upside down. My grandmother said, "my grandson is going to become a Western Church minister after I sent to America." They

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are Buddhist family. So I wrote a letter. "The American seminaries are different. There are so many things to learn. I majored in history, so I am going to

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study church history and comparative religion. Don't worry, I'm not going to be minister." So questions are solved. You know, the kind of experience.

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Then I went to the ecumenical fellow at the seminary. Then, after I finished it, Alina came to the Houston graduate school to study French literature. Then 1961, the Korean military

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coup d'etat. I cannot go because I—when I was in North Carolina as a foreign Student, I wrote letters. "I'm American in Washington, D.C." So

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actually, I was in a blacklist. I was afraid of the next seven years I couldn't go—I didn't go to the Korea. Then Houston was the best place to

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learn this oil exploration. So I studied oil company, working a part time as a draftsman. Then I was curious, watching all the revolutionary pictures of humankind and animal. I watched for four days.

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One of the paleontology supervisor came. "Nam, I've been watching. You came here at lunchtime every day watching the chart. Any reason you are watching?

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Can you tell me?" I didn't know he was a Christian. I said, "I'm so curious. I'm trying to compare the human development since God created, then animals picture

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evolutions." "Okay, Nam, if you are interested in study geology, we're going to pay all your tuitions." Then I shook — "Um, maybe." "So you had any biology

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courses taken in the US?" "Yes, I took one year." "We're going to pay you even parking fee, so just go ahead and register, then change to geology." So I was actually a number one

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draftsman out of 20 draftsmen. So I was transferred to the paleontology section. All my supervisor was so mad. You know, you are taking one of my best men.

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So I became a paleontologist in 1960. Luckily, this new microscope-micron— the microscope electron microscope came out.

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So in France, they found what they called nanofossil. Then the geologists began to use this nannofossil to exploitation. So I was lucky to catch that chance. Then, in those days had only three specialists in

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America. So-and also the oil company started using nannofossil. So companies sent me Columbia University, Miami University. "Nam just find out everything what about nannofossil you can

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find." So my company hired one professor-the-the Miami University professor for summertime. So 1 to 1 ratio professor, I learned nannofossil. So I worked oil company

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30 years. Then I-my enjoyable time was teaching this course in South America. I was invited six times in Venezuela. And then I enjoyed working oil company.

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Are there any standout experiences at the oil company? Yes. Chevron has started in the Gulf. That is my profession. And how was it like being a Korean in this profession?

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Or did it not really matter too much or. Well, as long as the one thing good in America is you have knowledge, you have to be able to perform your job. You can protest, you can talk.

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I didn't have any problems except one occasion in the promotions. So I enjoyed my job. Meantime, since I left the Austin Seminary, I was able to find the First Presbyterian Church in

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Houston. Then a year later or two years later, I was ordained as an elder. So first Korean was selected as elder of a church.

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The oldest Christian church, which was established 1838. So during the-my service, I become–I joined Racial Coordinate Commission of Presbyterian

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USA. So I have to work here establishing the immigrant churches here. So first thing, the Houston Young-Nak Church, Houston Central Christian Church.

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Then I had another church—now they closed. And so I was coordinator to establish Korean church. Then also, I was the first one to invite a Korean minister to Houston in order to have

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first Korean worship service at the Houston Religious Center. So while I'm serving serving in the church as an elder and

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the-the-the-the-the had a connection with the the black churches, I organized and I had a one of the largest service joint Korean

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and black churches. 15,000. [IK: That's—(laughs)] Yeah, cheon-oh-cheon-ohbek No, no 1500 that were invited. It was a big event. I was there making speech,

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opening speech and wedding. African flag—African cap. I was wearing a Korean dress and kind of— Do you have a picture of that somewhere?

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Yeah, I've got all pictures that—and I also, after they knew, they — Erskine — not Erskine, Montreat College, Montreat. They invited me after she found out I have so many connections with Korean former

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missionaries. Montreat- I actually, kind of—I'm sort of curious about how you started these activities or, like— Yeah, I wasn't—I did not associate

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single missionaries, but I met all more famous the American missionaries at the Montreat retreat. They are retired now. They have a retired house. So I—because I was a—I served as a board

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of trustees of Montreat College. And meantime I mainly work in raising funds for the foreign students. I worked 13 years in the service, so I'm proud of

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myself helping foreign students. So in my life, education in America is wonderful. I enjoyed meantime in a church service.

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There are another thing. While at the—I'm a-I'm a member of the Presbyterian Church. I served with 36 years every summer. Used to—use mission,

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36 years mission trip. Most enjoyable. Some are helping those poor people. The reason was when I saw those poor people in Korea, I told them my fellow Korean children's.

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So building churches, taking all the good-good-goodies, American goodies every summer. So meantime at the church I collected the clothes and food and so on.

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Are there any memorable experiences—or any memorable experiences during those missing-mission trips because you spent so much time doing them? Yes, and helping the poor people. So I thank God, you know, be able

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to—that's the reason why when even I went in Korea, I was awarded the president award-was the-in Houston and then... That award

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was because when I was a liaison officer, I worked with one of the American Distributing care, C-A-R-E, care organizations bringing the food is now what about, you know, so what-

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Nam, what memory do you have from the-these experiences during summer when you went overseas? Can you think of some memories? Some examples?

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Oh, yes. During the war, when I was working at American Company, so many refugees. It was highway, to way highway. The children, with mom,

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hungry, come to the-the-the-the American unit has a trash can. They dump every leftover food. They are searching for food.

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So that's heartbreaking. When I saw the mom and child people. So I compared in a mission trip. That's the reason after first year, I better do every year,

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particularly help the children. So I told them my youth group "prepare, let's— clothes and food," and I told them my experience in Korea, how they appreciate when you give food to hungry

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people, how they appreciate when you give toys and clothes. Which country did you go on mission? You name it. All South America.

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For example. Mexico, Venezuela, Honduras, and all about. I counted 11 different countries, you know. Yeah.

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Nam, did you work with a particular organization that helped you find these places? Yes. Before we leave in advance, we ask the World Mission Board which country needs what?

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Then, mentioned, i like to help the orphan-orphanage and the afflicted children. Then we're going to bring the clothes, including the new one, old one, then toys and books, whatever they

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ask. So orphanages, children. But was there an organization on the other side that helped you find these places? How did you find these?

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Well, this organization is an American organization- What's the name of the American organization? I have an address in that name [SJ: is it World Mission?] World Mission Board. [SK: World Mission-] The mission board, yeah. They're going to tell you,

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so when we give—when we're building a church, they help us. So we work together. So both enjoyable. So my life in America, as I told my father

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and mother, O accomplished my mission organizing Korean, the Korean-American associations, whatever, churches.

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And I did a lot. Living in American society, in the church. Also as, like, a member of the Korean-American, like, community in-

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Yeah, but- For such a long time- But some Korean criticized me. "Why you are not going to Korean church?

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Why you didn't from the beginning?" Oh, some Korean- At the beginning. There is no Korean churches. So I organize. We can build more

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churches. Now we have 40 churches in Houston. More than 40 churches. How did you build those churches? How did you build those churches? How do you—hearing. [IK: Oh, okay.] How do you build these churches?

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What-what, an example? Well, of course, through the World Mission Board, they have church development sections. They ask Korea

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immigrant need churches, Presbyterian churches. So financially support. So you went through the—what's it called, the World, what? [NP: Mission Board.] Mission Board. [NP: Yeah] And you asked them for financial

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support. What? They helped you? Yeah. Whatever they can. We need need churches. You know, I a strong for—so I think behind of this Korean organization I

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always just—I don't need to become a president of Korean association. I rejected from the beginning becoming a president but forced me and oh, that's-that's the reason why I told my father,

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you know, "I got a lot of things to do here." An Jung-geun. Our aegukja, patriot. When he came to the San Francisco 1886, he noticed Koreans are dirty. They are fighting each other.

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They are immigrants fighting when they had—in the street in order to sell the ginseng, they are fighting each other. He saw it. It was terrible. So he started organizing, giving Korean association.

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Then he said, we need to educate immigrant. They need the Korean Association. Need Korean church. An Jung-geun said it's exactly happened in San

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Francisco. So I found all the original of the immigrant leaders and from the beginning at the Davidson College. You know, I got here, on the paper. In 1908,

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after Korean Immigrant came out in 1903, 1905. Two, one professor from Yale, one newspaperman from New York, went to Korea Because American people wanted to know about

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Korea. When I read the book-this book, shocked. Korean— [SJ: What's the name of the book?] This is the Park—second

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man got the PhD in the Chicago, Park. What's the first name? Who's the— you think of the author of the book? Do you know the name of the book? The name of the written Korean immigrant.

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I think I have, I give, I give to Rice. Yeah. You gave it to rice. Okay. The two Americans name I got here.

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One Yale professor. One Yale professor I got here. Nam, just, sorry. He donated a collection to the Rice— did he talk about that?

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Not yet. That's— so Nam, could you talk about the collection of Korean War books you've gathered in your lifetime that you've donated to — hundreds of books — to Rice

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University to add to their collection, because he had the largest number of books in English? English books? Yeah, I think they have that one. Okay, anyway—

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That needs to go in there. [IK: Yeah.] The story is, after the Korean first sugarcane labor came at the beginning of 1930, then 2005. And so they stayed five years,

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receiving only $16 a month. They worked so hard, you know. Heartbreaking. What I'm trying to say, this book said America wanted to know about

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Korea. So. Korean American government sent this newspaperman and professor. Yale professor. That article. That's heartbreaking.

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Koreans are dirty, lazy. Wanted to get from someone. I just think I have it, but you can—you can later read it. At that point, American thinks, that's-all

00:35:36.850 - 00:35:55.900

Koreans are dirty and lazy—just uncommunicable people in Asia. But newspaper made Korea just dumb. So as I

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mentioned, now we can tell American people how Koreans are now. I see. So, as someone who was part of the Korean, like, community in Houston for so long, how do you think

00:36:14.460 - 00:36:29.700

Koreans have changed within, like, America? Oh, yes. And yes. Amazing. And look, we look at any immigrant history over the 50 years. The Korean immigrant when I came 1961,

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four GI families. They are so lonely. They are-they are family, American families, they kind of go home. We don't need a Korean woman.

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And that kind of attitude. No churches. So I invited one minister from Dallas to Houston. Look at now they are on newspaper. More. I counted 43 Korean churches.

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Look at Korean market. There are three H-Marts. At the beginning, one gas station, Korean operated. Then a small group, one grocery store.

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Oh, boy. Everybody goes there. But the businessman-business association, the sports Association, and more than 24 restaurants. The Koreans are amazing how they do it.

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So now also, we don't have — I tried to research any bad word from local people. No, everything about Christianity, Koreans are doing fine. [SK: Now-] Korean immigrants doing everywhere.

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[IK: And-] So, a huge development, Houston. So I think that four years later, Koreans and the-the—what did they call it? Yeongsagwan? [SJ: Consulate?] was stablished here. Then brought the law changed in— Kennedy

00:38:12.500 - 00:38:28.340

changed the Korean can invite their business, Korean families. That affected. So Korean immigrants, there are two-two categories. One, student that settled here.

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Then, immigrant law changed. They invite-invite the whole family business, business boomed in Houston. Look at now for—

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And do you think immigration has become more popular with Korean Americans coming to America or, like, compared to 50 years ago when you first came to America? I think so, because nowadays immigrants are at

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least have educations and the kind of training before they leave the country for the immigrants. What job does your son have at Jackson Hole? This is actually relevant here.

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At the beginning, he was the manager of one of the biggest-big finance company. Then after the owner died, they closed. Then now another big company—he's a general

00:39:29.570 - 00:39:38.870

manager. My son lived in from the beginning. Just like me in Houston. You know, he knows everybody. Everybody says, "Hey, David."

00:39:39.410 - 00:39:53.660

And he's well accepted. Then his wife is American. He's a chief engineer. City hall. So, David, my son, is actually

00:39:53.660 - 00:40:11.770

busy associating all the-the-the-the-the-the local people. So they love Korea. So as long as we do, as long as our Korean organization give good advice, good education to the immigrant,

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we'll be okay. And, I also want to talk about your family. So, like, can you just tell me a little bit about your family and if you think, like, what are some differences between your

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childhood and your children's childhood? Okay. Did he tell you how many children? It's a hard, hard—

00:40:32.020 - 00:40:38.080

Not yet. Okay. How many— I have? How many—yeah, sons do—children do you have, where they live?

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I have two sons, three grandchildren, but sometimes, hard to convince. The—how—what I

00:40:55.350 - 00:41:12.120

suffered when I come here with $10. So occasionally, occasionally when they grew up, I said, "son, I wanted to have a Coca-Cola. It was only $0.05.

00:41:13.080 - 00:41:34.260

I save it. I couldn't drink it." I repeated-repeated the joke and two-two-two sons, "Daddy stop saying, we are tired of hearing what you, you know, experience." So we stopped. But he was born and

00:41:34.260 - 00:41:47.370

raised in America. They-they are natural. Acting like Americans, eat like Americans, talk like Americans. [SJ: Marry Americans.] They don't act — forget about — they don't want to hear the war stories. It's true

00:41:48.840 - 00:42:02.820

Are your children also, like, Christian? Oh, yes. They're all Christian. So, education is important. Okay, just for—just for the sake of time.

00:42:03.060 - 00:42:17.490

We're going to be finishing up pretty soon. So can we just talk about, any, are there any achievements or moments that you feel really proud about, or are there any regrets or things that you wish had gone differently?

00:42:18.030 - 00:42:35.850

Well, now now age 93, I'm retired. Come to the retired senior home. Only thing is, I'd like to leave trace.

00:42:35.880 - 00:42:48.780

What we did, worked so hard. The Koreans are hard workers. Like me, we left something good for the next generation. That's what I like to do.

00:42:50.640 - 00:43:12.320

If more people think of not only his family, but the future of our Korean next generation. That's the reason why American people love and support him. So, you [NP: look at—] so you want your goal to be,

00:43:12.350 - 00:43:19.250

like, leaving behind a trace of yourself? Like, for the future? Why do you think that is? Why is that?

00:43:20.030 - 00:43:32.180

It's a Korean character. Our ancestor. What is success? Success— "Namboda duh jalhaera." Better than the other—do better than other people.

00:43:32.420 - 00:43:49.250

Oh, if I grew up the same way in my family. Do you have any advice for younger generations of Korean Americans? Well, what's commonly say, we are now in a

00:43:49.250 - 00:44:03.800

big country. The systems are good, so learn. Learn more. Be courteous. Kind. They express love to foreigners, even friends. Of course.

00:44:03.800 - 00:44:18.860

In the family. Nowadays Korea use saranghaeyo. Even telephone. Watched a North Korean saying she learned first thing after she came to South Korea. South Korea is the same year after telephone.

00:44:18.890 - 00:44:35.030

You know I love you. I think it's a good word. So if school or our neighbors teach, try to express more love your neighbor. We'll be okay. Okay.

00:44:36.080 - 00:44:47.330

Thank you so much for the interview. And thank you so much for your time. So I love you. And yeah, this will be the end of the interview. And if you have any questions then you can let me know.

00:44:47.360 - 00:44:49.850

And yeah thank you. Thank you.