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Sampan, a bilingual bridge: An exploration of socio-political functions of bilingualism and ethnic press

Sampan, a Boston Chinatown community newspaper founded in 1972, is the oldest existent Chinese–English bilingual newspaper in America. It has been a source of information and a print forum that brings together both the Chinese-language readers and English-language audiences, of both the Chinatown community and the Great Boston area. The article examines the history of the Sampan, with a focus on its close ties to the socio-political developments of the Boston Chinatown community. It also analyzes the Chinese and English sections of the newspaper. These two sections, with articles that often differ in their content, expressions, style, and approaches, effectively communicate with diverse readers. The article argues that bilingualism enables the Sampan to serve as a bridge, representing its readers as a political voice, satisfying their needs as a source of information, negotiating with the mainstream culture on behalf of ethnic groups, and promoting a better cultural understanding.