Golden Star Radio went live in 1939 from the basement of May and Tommy Tong's home. The radio station ran a news and entertainment program called, The Chinese Hour — North America’s first ever Chinese-language broadcast. By the 1950’S they had a listenership of more than 25,000 and were interviewing politicians like San Francisco's 33rd mayor, Elmer Robinson.
The show ran for 40 years until Golden Star Radio went off air in 1979. In the decades to follow, the neon sign–still bolted to the building–fell into disrepair.
A campaign to restore the sign was sponsored by the California Historical Radio Society. Sign painter Manny Fabregas and the studio of Neon Works completed the project in May of this year.
So last Friday, descendants of the Tong family came together again. There was a pause in Chinatown’s bustling monthly night market as they counted down in Cantonese and pulled the switch that would make the gold star flicker once again.
You can visit this piece of Chinese-American history in its original location at 846 Clay St.
