A post office in Chinatown in Manhattan will be named after a legendary Chinese advocate for women’s rights.
According to Xinhua, the post office at 6 Doyers Street in Manhattan’s Chinatown will be renamed ‘Mabel Lee Memorial Post Office’.
Mabel Lee was the first Chinese woman to receive a PhD from Columbia University. Aged 22, Lee led Chinese women in a pro-suffrage parade in New York City in 1917. She also organised classes for residents of Chinatown to develop their skills in carpentry, radio and typewriting. She died in 1966.
Rep. Nydia M. Velazquez said in a press release, “I’m proud my colleagues have approved my bill that would honor Mabel Lee’s legacy. Mabel Lee was a steadfast advocate for women’s rights and for the greater Asian American community. Her hard work and activism empowered many, bringing more Chinese-American women into the electoral process and helping them to secure voting rights.”
“Mabel Lee’s life is the story of breaking down countless barriers at a time when women had few opportunities. All New Yorkers and especially women in public service owe her a debt of gratitude. Renaming this post office in her honor is a fitting tribute to such an inspiring figure.”
