Sampan Newspaper

Sampan is a newspaper located in Chinatown, Boston, Massachusetts, and it stands out as New England's only bilingual publication in Chinese and English. Established in 1972 by volunteers from the Asian American Civic Association, previously known as the Chinese American Civic Association, Sampan proudly claims the title of "Boston's oldest bilingual Chinese-English newspaper since 1972." The paper serves the Greater Boston area, focusing on news relevant to Chinatown as well as the broader Asian American community. The term "sampan" refers to a flat-bottomed wooden boat traditionally used in parts of Southeast Asia for fishing, transport, and even as homes. This name symbolizes the newspaper's mission to deliver news to the Chinese community in both languages, ensuring that both Chinese speakers and those who speak only English can stay informed about local events and issues.

Local, Asian

English

Newspaper

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Global

#2848258

United States

#732804

News and Media

#16054

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Articles

REVIEW: ‘White Poverty’ Exposes Myths of Race, Class and Democracy

1 week ago | sampan.org | Christopher John Stephens

The triple threat Venn Diagram bubbles of race, class, and social identity have conspired to define us as a nation since our founding. As we sit on the eve of our Bisesquicentennial in 2026, Americans are more divided and disturbed than ever before. Who are we? What have we become? Is this the legacy we really want to leave behind for our children? The much discussed (but never fully owned) “Project 2025” has planted seeds and borne fruit in the first quarter of this year.
Facing the Scars That Never Heal in Lu Xinhua’s Novel, ‘Wu Lou’

1 month ago | sampan.org | Christopher John Stephens

Writer Lu Xinhua was just 24-years old in 1978 when he published his breakthrough short story, “The Scar.” Written while a freshman at Fudan University, “The Scar” examined the traumatic legacy of the Cultural Revolution and the decisive, imperious rule of the Gang of Four. In the wake of Mao’s death, China found itself at a crossroads.
‘Cracking’ the Code

1 month ago | sampan.org | Esther Wang

The peanut allergy is one of the most common food allergies in the world, and yet there is still much that we don’t understand about it. This puzzle is precisely what researcher Jing-Ke Weng, a professor of chemistry and bioengineering at Northeastern University, is aiming to solve.
‘The World Doesn’t Have to Be This Way,’ Says Novelist Celeste Ng, in Sampan Chat

1 month ago | sampan.org | Christopher John Stephens

The works of bestselling novelist and Cambridge resident Celeste Ng are perhaps more relevant now than ever. Her 2014 work, Everything I Never Told You, looked at the secrets and desires swirling in a Chinese-American family in Ohio during the 1970s. Her Little Fires Everywhere, which she penned in 2017, raised the stakes with the story of a mother and daughter when they intruded on the lives of a “perfect” family in late 1990s Ohio.
How Asian Americans Fought Key Battles for Immigrant & Civil Rights

1 month ago | sampan.org | Esther Wang

Tens of millions of immigrants in the U.S. are now, as long promised, in the sights of the administration of Pres. Donald Trump, who is carrying out his threats of mass deportations. The administration is also using various executive orders in attempts to boot certain visa holders from the U.S. and to end Constitutionally protected rights, such as birthright citizenship.
In Sayaka Murata’s World, Love Is Stranger Than Fiction

2 months ago | sampan.org | Christopher John Stephens

Sometimes the thrill of a strange novel comes in fits and starts. It’s less thrilling in its explosive consistency than it is in its ability to sustain a mood, to build and maintain a premise. Sayaka Murata’s new novel Vanishing World succeeds in more ways than it probably knows. It’s a novel of suppositions. It’s a speculative dystopian story in which society reproduces solely by artificial insemination. Traditional reproduction between a husband and wife is considered incest.
All Immigrants Have Rights, Say Attorneys

2 months ago | sampan.org | Esther Wang

Despite the fear and chaos created across the U.S. as immigration raids detain and deport more and more people, those living in the U.S. still have constitutional and legal protections, such as against illegal searches and warrantless home entries. That was a key takeaway from the media briefing “ICE Is Knocking. What Are Your Rights?” conducted by Ethnic Media Services.
February 21, 2025 - Sampan

2 months ago | sampan.org | Christopher John Stephens

Sometimes the thrill of a strange novel comes in fits and starts. It’s less thrilling in its explosive consistency than it is in its ability to sustain a mood, to build and maintain a premise. Sayaka Murata’s new novel Vanishing World succeeds in more ways than it probably knows. It’s a novel of suppositions. It’s a speculative dystopian story in which society reproduces solely by artificial insemination. Traditional reproduction between a husband and wife is considered incest. As we come […]
Panel of Doctors Agree: Climate Change, Vaccine Distrust Pose Grave Health Risks

2 months ago | sampan.org | Esther Wang

Climate change, the rise of the “anti-vaccination” movement and several viral diseases are current threats to healthcare and humans, according to a diverse panel of doctors who presented at a Jan. 10 Ethnic Media Services online briefing.
How I Led Natick’s 1st Lunar New Year Festival

Jan 24, 2025 | sampan.org | Doris Yu

During my Sophomore year in high school, I sat down with my beloved Chinese Culture Club adviser to begin planning one of the most significant events our school club has ever held: a townwide Lunar New Year celebration. I am now a junior at Natick High School, and have been president of the Chinese Culture Club since my sophomore year.