How Dalip Singh Saund became the first Asian American elected to Congress
John Yang:
All the years sawn farmed, he maintained his keen interest in U.S. politics. After gaining U.S. citizenship in 1949, he realized his ambition of running for office and was elected in 1950 to be a local justice of the peace.
A Democrat, he was elected to Congress in 1956, defeating primary and general election opponents who both made an issue of his foreign born status. He built a record of championing the farmers of Southern California and immigrant's rights.
As a first term member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Saund returned to India after nearly four decades away. He fostered stronger relations between India the world's largest democracy, and the United States. The world's oldest. While running for a fourth term in 1962, Saund suffered a massive stroke. He stayed in the race even winning the Democratic primary but lost the general election. He died in 1973 after a second stroke.
His legacy is summed up by the words beneath his portrait hanging in the Capitol. There is no room in the United States of America for second class citizenship.
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