ROTARY LUNCHEON: Birthright Citizenship and the Family Behind a Landmark Supreme Court Decision

Join us for a compelling presentation by Norman Wong, a San Francisco native, longtime community activist, and the great-grandson of Wong Kim Ark. Norman will share his family’s remarkable connection to one of the most important citizenship cases in American history. In 1898, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in United States v. Wong Kim Ark that Wong Kim Ark, who was born in San Francisco to Chinese immigrant parents, was an American citizen under the Fourteenth Amendment. That historic precedent remains significant today. On June 30, 2026, the Supreme Court relied on the Wong Kim Ark decision in Trump v. Barbara, reaffirming constitutional birthright citizenship.

Born in 1950 and raised near Chinatown, Norman came of age during a period of significant social change. As a student at the University of California, Berkeley, he participated in the 1969 Third World Strike and the negotiations that helped establish Asian American Studies. His community involvement later brought him to the International Hotel, where he joined efforts to support its elderly Filipino and Chinese residents and preserve the surrounding Manilatown community.

For much of his life, Norman was unaware of his family’s connection to Wong Kim Ark. He learned more about that history after his father, Wong Yook Jim, was interviewed by Chinese-language newspapers around the one-hundredth anniversary of the Supreme Court decision. His father had immigrated through Angel Island in 1926 and lived with Wong Kim Ark in San Francisco for approximately six months. In 2025, Norman traveled with Friends of Roots to Ong Sing, his family’s ancestral village in China. Today, he shares his family’s story to preserve Wong Kim Ark’s history and help others understand the continuing importance of his contribution to American citizenship.

Norman Wong brings this constitutional history to life. His presentation connects one family’s immigration journey with a Supreme Court decision that continues to influence American law more than 125 years later.

Register here for In Person or Zoom attendance.

For in-person attendees: We welcome all attendees!

• The in-person registration cost for all members of the Rotary Club of San Francisco is $45 until 11:59 AM on Friday, October 9, 2026. The meeting cost increases to $60 at noon and beyond on October 9, 2026 and includes any walk-ins on Tuesday, October 13. 
• The in-person registration cost for all Visiting Rotarians and Guests is $60.

The Hotel Nikko holds us to the headcount that we submit on Friday at noon, prior to our Tuesday meeting, whether those registered attend or not. In Rotary spirit, thanks for helping us to maintain a good relationship with our host hotel. 

For attendance via Zoom: For those who wish to participate via Zoom, there is a $15 fee to attend.

Accessibility: Hotel Nikko San Francisco offers accessible entrances, accommodations, restaurants, meeting spaces, and facilities so that every guest enjoys a comfortable visit.

Parking: If you are driving to the Hotel Nikko for this meeting, please leave your car with the Hotel Nikko valet. Pick up a validation sticker available at our check-in table. The discounted parking is $25 for three hours.

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