Betty Lee Sung (October 3, 1924 – January 19, 2023) was an American activist, author, and professor at City College of New York.
The treatment towards Chinese people in the United States was so severe that Sung recalled how her family largely avoided public areas like the movies or swimming pools.
[4] Defying her father's wish that she marry instead of furthering her education, she attended the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign on a full scholarship and graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a double major in economics and sociology in 1948.
While doing research for her stories, Sung was struck by how most material, even in the Library of Congress, held inaccurate and often stereotypical assumptions about Chinese people and culture.
She donated a large portion to the Library of Congress Asia Division in 2007 and the remainder to the Museum of Chinese in America in 2019 and upon her death.
Dr. Hwa-Wei Lee, former Chief of the Asian Division, wrote "Betty was very kind to donate her lifetime collection for the benefit of future generations."
Additional information about Sung's life may be found at the Museum of Chinese in America, AARI, and the Committee of 100.