Yen Ngoc Do

Đỗ Ngọc Yến, known in America as Yen Ngoc Do (May 25, 1941 — August 17, 2006) was a Vietnamese American newspaper publisher; the founder of Nguoi Viet Daily News, the oldest and largest Vietnamese daily publication; and a founding father of Little Saigon in Orange County, California. He was born in South Vietnam, and lived for most of his adult life in Southern California.

Yen Ngoc Do was born on May 25, 1941, in Saigon, Vietnam. He was one of five children (three boys, two girls). His father was a tailor who supported the Việt Minh in its war for independence against France. His mother was a devout Roman Catholic.

Do placed 20th out of 3,000 applicants in an examination to enter Saigon's most prestigious high school. On campus, he demonstrated both his intellectual and leadership abilities, and rose to numerous positions. He became editor of the school newspaper. This was during a period of historic political and social turmoil in Vietnam. The country's long struggle for autonomy against French colonialism would soon erupt into Vietnamese triumph only to have the U.S. begin its controversial military involvement. While the French still ruled Vietnam, Do agitated and organized student protests for freedom, and printed and distributed clandestine communications in support of the liberation movement. Eventually, he began to write, edit, publish and organize public rallies around-the-clock of students and the community-at-large. He captured the attention of public figures, politicians, Western journalists and government officials. Professional journalists began to solicit Do's skill for their own newspapers. At the same time, he diversified his activism to include lobbying and petitioning for more student aid and scholarships, and improved educational resources. The scope of his influence and the impact caused by his relentless advocacy resulted in the government's attempt to remove him from school and to arrest him.

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