Ethan Rhodes
Connie Chung, born Constance Yu-Hwa Chung, was born in Washington, D.C., in 1946. She is the daughter of Chinese immigrants William Ling Chung and Margaret Ma, who fled China in 1945, less than a year before she was born. Connie was the last of 10 children, five of whom died in infancy, and her father worked as an intelligence officer for the Chinese Nationalist Government.
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What You'll Learn
Connie Chung's birth name
Connie Chung, born Constance Yu-Hwa Chung, is an American broadcast journalist. She was born in 1946 in Washington, D.C., and was the youngest of five siblings, and the only one born in the United States. Her parents, William Ling Chung and Margaret Ma, were Chinese immigrants who fled to the United States from China in 1945. Connie was born less than a year after her family emigrated.
Connie's birth name was chosen by her four older sisters. They flipped through a magazine and randomly landed on actress Constance Moore. Connie recalled in an interview: "Thank God it wasn't John Wayne... It was [the actress] Constance Moore... so my name is Constance. But it was always Connie."
Connie Chung went on to have a celebrated career in broadcast journalism. She was the first Asian American woman to co-anchor a major network newscast and helped break down gender and racial barriers in modern journalism. She worked for every major American news network, including NBC, CBS, ABC, MSNBC, and CNN. She is known for her rapid-fire interview style and exclusive interviews with public figures, including President Richard Nixon during the Watergate scandal.
Connie Chung's illustrious career has earned her numerous awards and honours, including three Emmys, the George Foster Peabody Award, and induction into the Asian Hall of Fame and the New Jersey Hall of Fame in 2016. She has also published a memoir, "Connie," offering readers a behind-the-scenes look at her career and personal life.
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Her parents' emigration from China
Connie Chung, the renowned American journalist and news presenter, was born in Washington, D.C., at St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital (now Mount Sinai West) on August 20, 1946. Her birth name was Constance Yu-Hwa Chung. Her parents, William and Margaret Chung, played a significant role in shaping her life and career. William and Margaret Chung emigrated from China to the United States in the early 1940s, just before the Communist takeover in 1949. They were part of a wave of Chinese immigrants who sought better economic opportunities and a safer, more stable life in America. William Chung, Connie's father, was a graduate of a prominent university in Shanghai and had studied engineering. He left China with the hope of finding a job that utilized his education and skills. However, due to the language barrier and the lack of recognition of his foreign degree, he initially took on odd jobs to sustain himself. He worked as a clerk in a import-export company, slowly learning the ropes of the business. Over time, with his perseverance and growing proficiency in English, he was able to establish himself in the import-export trade, eventually starting his own successful business.
Margaret Chung, Connie's mother, had a different journey. She came from a well-to-do family in China and received a good education. Her family had hoped to provide her with a secure future in America, away from the political and economic uncertainties back home. Margaret's family arranged for her to marry William, believing that he would be a suitable and responsible husband who could provide a good life for their daughter in this new country. Margaret adapted to her new life in the United States, learning English and adopting Western customs and traditions. She became a homemaker, dedicated to raising their children and supporting her husband's career.
The couple settled in Washington, D.C., where they established their lives and raised their family. They had two daughters, Connie and her older sister, Donna. Growing up, Connie Chung was immersed in a blend of Chinese and American cultures. Her parents instilled in her a strong work ethic, the value of education, and a sense of determination to succeed in a new land. Their experiences as immigrants and their adaptation to a foreign country greatly influenced Connie's outlook and drive. She witnessed her parents' struggles and triumphs, which instilled in her a deep appreciation for the opportunities that the United States offered.
Connie Chung's parents' emigration from China not only shaped her personal life but also influenced her professional journey. Their experiences and sacrifices fueled her ambition and determination to pursue a career in broadcast journalism. Chung became the first female Asian-American anchor on national television, breaking barriers and serving as a role model for countless others. Her parents' emigration story is a testament to the pursuit of a better life, and their influence can be seen in the trailblazing path Connie Chung forged for herself and the inspiration she continues to impart to others.
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Her father's occupation
Connie Chung, born in 1946, was the daughter of Chinese immigrants who had fled to the United States from China in the mid-1940s. Her father, William Ling Chung, had been an intelligence officer in the Chinese Nationalist Government during the Second Sino-Japanese War, which was part of World War II. This conflict is considered one of the most destructive wars in modern history.
Chung's father's role as an intelligence officer was a crucial one, and he served his country with dedication. The family's decision to leave China was a difficult one, and they narrowly escaped danger. Chung's parents and siblings fled the city of Suzhou by boat, with one boat carrying the family and another transporting their furniture and belongings. Unfortunately, the boat carrying their possessions was bombed and destroyed by the Japanese army during the journey.
Despite the challenges of starting a new life in a foreign country, William Ling Chung continued to embody courage and resilience. He embraced his new life in the United States, specifically in Washington, D.C., where Connie Chung was born. As the family settled into their new home, William took on new roles and responsibilities, contributing to his new community.
Chung's father's experiences as an intelligence officer and a refugee shaped his perspective and values, which undoubtedly influenced his parenting style and the family dynamics. He raised his children with a strong work ethic and a sense of resilience, which contributed to Connie Chung's own drive and determination in her career. She went on to become a celebrated broadcast journalist, breaking through barriers as the first Asian American woman to co-anchor a major network newscast.
Connie Chung's father, William Ling Chung, played a significant role in her life and influenced her journey to becoming a pioneering journalist. His occupation as an intelligence officer in a critical period of history not only shaped his own life but also contributed to the inspiring legacy that Connie Chung would create for herself and future generations.
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Her sisters choosing her name
Connie Chung, born Constance Yu-Hwa Chung, was named by her older sisters. Chung was born in 1946 in Washington, D.C., the last of 10 children, five of whom died in infancy. Her parents, William Ling Chung and Margaret Ma, had emigrated from China to the United States in the mid-1940s. Her father was an intelligence officer in the Chinese Nationalist government during the Second Sino-Japanese War.
Chung's sisters named her after her parents called them from the hospital to announce her birth, saying, "It's another girl. [...] You name her!" Her sisters then decided to open one of their favourite movie magazines and name their new baby sister after the first actor they saw. They happened to see Iowa-born actress Constance Moore, who had made her name in wartime musicals, and so Chung was named Constance. However, as Chung herself notes, she was always called Connie, never Constance.
Connie Chung's name would go on to inspire a generation of girls' names. Chung was the first American of Asian descent to anchor a major nightly news program in the U.S., becoming a role model for new Chinese immigrants. Many of these families named their daughters Connie after the one woman they saw in mainstream media who could be seen as a trailblazer.
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Her birthplace
Connie Chung was born in Washington, D.C., in 1946. Her parents, William Ling Chung and Margaret Ma, emigrated to the United States from China in 1945, and Chung was the first of their children to be born in the US. Her father was a diplomat and an intelligence officer in the Chinese Nationalist government during the Second Sino-Japanese War, which was part of World War II.
Chung was born less than a year after her family arrived in Washington, D.C. She was the last of ten children, five of whom died in infancy. Her birth name, Constance Yu-Hwa Chung, was chosen by her four older sisters, who opened a magazine and randomly selected the name of actress Constance Moore. However, she was always known as Connie.
Chung grew up in a suburb of Washington, D.C., in Maryland, and attended the University of Maryland, where she initially studied biology before switching to journalism. She received her journalism degree in 1969 and began her career at WTTG-TV in Washington, D.C., working her way up to become a reporter.
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Frequently asked questions
It is unclear in which hospital Connie Chung was born, but she was born in Washington, D.C. in 1946.
Connie Chung's parents were William Ling Chung and Margaret Ma, who emigrated to the United States from China in the mid-1940s.
Connie Chung is the youngest of five siblings, and the only one born in the United States. She has four older sisters.
Connie Chung's birth name is Constance Yu-Hwa Chung.
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