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Peter Chan and Joyce Tan, “Helen Foster Snow: A Utah Woman Devoted to the People of China,” in Voices of Latter-day Saint Women in the Pacific and Asia, ed. Po Nien (Felipe) Chou, 'Alisi K. Langi, and Petra M. W. S. Chou (Provo: Religious Studies Center; Salt Lake City: Deseret Book), 229–54.
Helen Foster Snow was a remarkable woman and a little-known Latter-day Saint who impacted China in significant ways. She arrived in China in 1931 and stayed for nearly ten years. Her contributions to the bilateral history between the United States and China are unique and lasting. Her life’s work and dedication have left an indelible mark on the relationship between those two countries.
Helen has been recognized by a relatively small but broad spectrum of high-level government leaders in the United States. For example, President Franklin D. Roosevelt wrote that he had learned “a great deal” from Helen’s books.[1] US senator and former vice presidential candidate Joe Lieberman described Helen as “a fine American citizen . . . deserving of the Medal of Freedom Award. . . . Just as Mrs. Snow has helped all of us learn more about life in China, so she has also taught the Chinese people about the freedoms and liberties enjoyed by Americans. Truly, few people have acted as a conduit of information in the same manner as Mrs. Snow, and we all owe her a debt of gratitude for the doors that she has helped open.”[2]
In his letter to Helen, former US senator Orrin Hatch of Utah stated, “Your writings, your traveling, and your courage to accept others have inspired me. . . . I thank you for a lifetime of dedication to building a world full of peace and friendship.” In a letter to the former ambassador of China, former Utah governor Jon Huntsman stated, “Utahns are honored to claim Helen Snow as a native of our state. Her early pioneer roots and training influenced her character and her work in China. Helen Snow dedicated her life to building bridges of goodwill between China and the United States.”[3] Despite receiving such high-level recognition, Helen Foster Snow remains unknown among most Americans, even in her home state of Utah.
Recognizing Helen in China
In contrast, the recognition she received in China far surpasses that in the United States, both in terms of scale and societal level. Following her death in Connecticut in 1997, China organized a grand memorial service for her in the prestigious Great Hall of the People, where the National Congress meets. This service was an exceptional and remarkable honor bestowed upon a foreigner with no specific official position in either country. The memorial service was attended by numerous top government leaders, including personal friends of Helen, who came together to pay their final respects to this remarkable woman.[4]
Furthermore, two dedicated museums in China celebrated Helen’s influence: one is a dedicated section of the Eighth Route Museum in Xi’an,[5] and the other is known as the Gung Ho Memorial Site of China in Fengxian County, Baoji City.[6] These museums carefully collected and displayed pictures and essential artifacts from Helen’s time in China, preserving her profound impact on the nation’s history. Additionally, numerous books and magazines discussed her and her publications, many translated into Chinese and published in China, ensuring her work reached a broad audience.[7] Northwest University in Xi’an also houses a research center devoted to studying Helen and her husband’s work in China, delving into their significant contributions to the nation’s development.[8]
Helen’s story has been further immortalized through a television series[9] and a movie[10] chronicling her and her husband’s time in China, which continue to inspire and educate viewers.
Conferences and educational events have been thoughtfully organized to commemorate, study, and honor Helen’s enduring legacy, emphasizing her spirit in promoting goodwill and peace, particularly among young people who carry forward her vision of fostering positive international relations.
In 2021, on the ninetieth anniversary of Helen’s arrival in China, several provinces, including Jiangxi,[11] Shaanxi,[12] and Hunan,[13] organized national-level photo exhibitions displaying Helen’s original photographs provided by Brigham Young University. These photo exhibitions received high-level recognition and media attention and were well-attended by local people, including school children, on organized trips. The Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) supported the photo exhibitions, further elevating their significance.[14] Other local entities also organized numerous activities, including an exhibition by the Civil Aviation University of China.[15]
At the beginning of 2022, the Helen Foster Snow Foundation in Utah wrote a letter to the president of China to express gratitude toward the Chinese people for how they have honored Helen. President Xi Jinping replied to the foundation’s president, Adam Foster, emphasizing how Helen was a bridge between the two countries. President Xi also highlighted his father’s collaboration with Helen at a school in China and stressed the importance of continued friendship between the two nations. This exchange was significant, as it is rare to see a Chinese leader writing to anyone in the US.[16]
What remarkable contributions did Helen make in both China and the US to earn her such widespread recognition and respect? Moreover, was China the sole country where she left her mark, or did she contribute elsewhere? Additionally, how did these activities relate to her familial religion and traditions? To best answer these queries, one should also understand Helen’s background and upbringing.
Growing Up
Helen’s early life unfolded in Cedar City, Utah, where she was born and raised. Both of her parents were descendants of Latter-day Saint pioneers. Her father pursued higher education at Stanford University and later established himself as a lawyer. Her mother was a prominent suffragist, advocating for women’s universal right to vote. Notably, her mother had served as the president of the Primary (an organization for the children) and then the Relief Society (an organization for women) in the local congregation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.[17]
With her mother’s inspiring example, Helen grew up in an environment that valued activism and social change. Her mother’s genuine dedication to the suffrage movement profoundly impacted Helen, influencing her path as she embarked on her journey to make a difference in the world.[18] Utah held historical significance as the first state where women were granted the right to vote, a milestone that would eventually reverberate across the entire nation.[19] This backdrop of progressive causes and her mother’s unwavering commitment profoundly influenced Helen’s journey and her subsequent impact on history.
Helen’s parents first crossed paths at Ricks College (now Brigham Young University–Idaho), where her mother taught home economics and business, and her father taught science.[20] Helen cherished her close relationship with her mother, who deeply influenced her love for literature and introduced her to the works of many great authors.[21]
From an early age, Helen experienced a life of frequent moves as her family relocated for various reasons. After her birth in Cedar City, the family moved to Chicago to support her father’s pursuit of a law degree. Later they relocated to Idaho before settling back in Cedar City, where her father established his law practice.[22]
These constant relocations significantly impacted Helen’s personality, fostering an outgoing and adaptable nature. She became acutely aware of the importance of first impressions and how she presented herself to new peers in each unique environment. Helen humorously referred to herself as a “Pollyanna” during these times because she was “already an old hand at the magic of ‘first impressions’ and what to wear,” even at a young age. This ability to navigate new situations and make favorable first impressions would prove to be an asset in her future endeavors.”[23]
As the eldest child and the only daughter, Helen shouldered significant responsibilities as her family expanded. Alongside her mother, she actively cared for her three younger brothers and assisted with household chores, especially during challenging financial times for the Fosters. These experiences helped shape Helen’s sense of responsibility and instilled in her a strong work ethic from a young age.[24]
During high school, Helen moved to Salt Lake City to live with her aunt. She attended West High School, where she was a popular student leader and was elected as the student body’s vice president, the highest position a female student could hold in those days. Her experiences during this time further shaped her leadership skills and sense of responsibility.[25]
After graduating, Helen aspired to attend Stanford University, following in her father’s footsteps. However, her parents hesitated about sending a girl to such an expensive university and convinced her to study at the University of Utah instead. She initially pursued journalism but eventually sought international experience.[26] Despite her initial plan to work in Europe for a year, suitable positions were unavailable. With her father’s help, she reached out to US senator Reed Smoot, who assisted her in securing a position at the US Consulate in Shanghai as a social activity coordinator. Additionally, she had a contract with the Seattle Times to write about the “glamorous Orient” to promote international travel during the Great Depression, aiming to revitalize tourism.[27]
These early experiences marked the beginning of Helen’s remarkable journey, where her curiosity, adaptability, and passion for international affairs would lead her to become an influential figure in China and beyond.
In China: From a Travel Reporter to a Journalist of the People
When Helen arrived in Shanghai, she saw the stark contrast between the privileged lives of foreigners and the hardships faced by the local Chinese population. Foreigners enjoyed exclusive clubs, luxurious amenities, and positions of power, while many Chinese citizens had limited access to such opportunities.[28] However, within days of her arrival, a great tragedy struck China; the Yangtze River flooded, affecting twenty-five million inhabitants and killing approximately 140,000 people.[29] Instead of reporting on the glamorous lives of Westerners, Helen focused on the suffering of the Chinese people, sharing their stories and bringing humanity to her audience. Her work in this area was significant for the Western world to understand what was happening in China.[30]
Edgar and Helen Foster Snow. Courtesy of L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University.
During her time there, Helen encountered an American reporter named Edgar Snow, whom she deeply admired for his extensive writing on contemporary events in the country. She even impressed him by presenting a folder of his newspaper clippings. At the time, Edgar was planning to return to the United States because of his mother’s passing and his malaria, but after meeting the beautiful Helen, he decided to stay.[31] Helen was initially intending to stay in China for no more than a year, but her life took a turn when a courtship blossomed between her and Edgar. Edgar proposed to her a little over a year later, but she declined, concerned about the impact her dedication to writing might have on their marriage. However, several months later, Ed proposed again; this time, Helen accepted. In a letter from the winter of 1932, Helen expressed her fondness for Edgar, writing, “I like him better than anyone else I have ever known.”[32] The couple married on Christmas Day in 1932[33] and remained in China together for nearly a decade.[34]
Using the pen name Nym Wales, Helen continued to write extensively about China, amassing a collection of more than sixty books and manuscripts[35] and taking over eleven thousand photographs with her mother’s camera.[36] Her passion for recordkeeping can be attributed to her pioneer heritage, because many pioneers were urged by their faith leaders to keep extensive records of their dealings with God and the impact of faith on their lives.[37] Helen’s journalistic instincts were developed at a young age when her mother gave her a recorder. Her first reporting project involved interviewing her family members and learning about the Foster family’s history. Despite her husband Edgar’s lack of interest in recordkeeping, Helen held onto her materials, which eventually became critical historical documents.[38] As she reported on events in China, she became more involved, struggling to balance her journalist and activist roles.[39]
From a Journalist to an Activist
Helen played a crucial role in the December 9th movement of 1935, which aimed at pressuring the Nationalist Government to confront the Japanese invasion of northeastern China. The movement sought to raise awareness among the Chinese people about the government’s decision to prioritize the civil war with the Communists over defending the nation’s borders against Japanese aggression. However, the government’s tight media control kept many ordinary Chinese outside the affected region uninformed about the invasion.[40]
One fateful day, the student body president of Yenching (Yanjing) University, Chang Chao-lin (Zhang Zhao-lin), visited the Snows’ residence in Beijing, seeking information about the invasion. Upon learning the full extent of the crisis, he was deeply moved and began to weep, but the Snows spurred him into action. Helen said, “If there’s any hope for China, you’re it.”[41] Helen proposed a student movement like the May Fourth New Youth Movement of 1919 to mobilize the masses. Collaborating with other student leaders, she actively supported and guided them, earning her the title of the “midwife to the student movement.”[42]
Helen and Edgar provided the students with information from the outside world, sheltered them in their home, and even allowed some student leaders to hide in their closets during police searches. Remarkably, many of these student leaders later became senior government officials. Edgar remarked, “Nym [Helen’s pen name] and I stayed up most of the night copying out translations of the students’ ‘demands’ to release next day to the foreign press.” With the Snows’ unwavering support, hundreds of brave students risked arrest, physical harm, and even death to protest on the streets of Beijing. Their courageous actions sparked a national sentiment against the government’s passive stance, leading to tens of thousands of students and ordinary citizens joining local protests.[43] Helen later reflected, “The Yenching students injected adrenaline into the dying tissue of China . . . that students could endanger the state was a new idea to me.”[44]
The refugee students from the northeast region were exceptionally dedicated campaigners of the student movement. They even embarked on a journey to the anti–Red Army headquarters of Xi’an. They met with its leader, a fellow northeasterner Chang Hsueh-liang (Zhang Xueliang), also known as the Young Marshal, tasked with exterminating the Communist forces. Their plea touched him personally, as he and his troops were ordered by Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek (Jiang Jieshi), the head of the Nationalist Government, to retreat from the northeast rather than fight the invading Japanese. Swayed by their persuasive arguments and motivated by empathy, the Young Marshal made the momentous decision to cease his military campaign against the communists, thus setting in motion the significant Xi’an Incident, which pressured the Nationalist Government to stop the civil war and turned its forces against the Japanese invaders. Regarding these events, author Peter Rand aptly stated, “The Snows and their Yenching friends altered the course of history in China.”[45]
Helen’s activism reflected her mother’s dedication as a fervent advocate for women’s suffrage and her service to the disadvantaged as a Relief Society president in her church. Like her mother, Helen embraced a spirit of activism driven by compassion and a desire to bring about positive change. Her actions carried forward her mother’s legacy, inspiring others to join the pursuit of a more just and equitable society. Helen’s role in the December 9th movement, along with the collective efforts of the students and their plea to Chang Hsueh-liang, played a significant role in shaping China’s history during that critical time. Their dedication to activism remains an enduring testament to the power of collective action and the pursuit of a better future for all.[46]
From Helen’s Report to Chiang Kai-Shek’s Capture
The Xi’an Incident was a pivotal event in modern Chinese history during which the Young Marshal Chang Hsueh-liang arrested his superior, Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, and forced the national government to cease the years-long civil war and formulate a united front to confront the more significant threat posed by the Japanese.[47] As Helen described, “The Sian (Xi’an) Incident came as a shock. The aftershock was an earthquake.”[48]
Before the incident, the fledgling Red Army was confined to the mountains of western China. However, their trajectory changed significantly after the event as they integrated into the national army to wage major military resistance against the Japanese during World War II. This integration allowed the Red Army to bolster its strength. Eventually, it culminated in its triumph, leading to the complete takeover of the mainland and the establishment of the People’s Republic of China. Indeed, the Xi’an Incident profoundly impacted China’s history and political landscape.[49]
Today few people remembered that Helen was the only reporter who had ever interviewed the Young Marshal and published his perspective on the Communists and Japanese invasion,[50] signaling that “the Young Marshal’s answers were precisely opposite to Chiang Kai-shek’s policies.” [51] Two months before the incident, Chang Chao-lin, the same student who set in motion the December 9th movement at the Snows’ home, was the one who escorted Helen to see the Young Marshal. In the interview, the Young Marshal said he would “defend any men (referring to the students and the Reds) who loved their country.” He also took pride in his students’ participation in the student movement. Helen remarked, “He and I had one thing in common: We were always hiding students in our houses from police.” Helen rushed back to Beijing to cable her write-up, and the United Press sent it all over America and China. The interview’s publication “nearly caused a premature Sian Incident,” but students throughout China celebrated it. Referring to Chang Chao-lin and another northeasterner, Helen said, “Here we are two little mustard seeds. . . . Lo, what a mighty harvest of dragon’s teeth.” Their altruism gave Helen a sense of purpose, “This must be why I stay in China. . . .The combination of intellectuals and men of action was like tinder to matchwood.”[52]
When young Helen developed a passion for reporting, inspired by her mother’s urging to interview their relatives and report on their family’s stories, she could never have imagined that someday she would report on one of the seismic events in Chinese history.[53] However, this was the type of intellectual curiosity and ambition that led a young woman from rural Utah to the dangerous terrain of China in search of truth.
Promotion of Democracy and Freedom
Democracy and freedom are recurring themes in Edgar and Helen’s work. In explaining the causes of the Xi’an Incident, Helen explained, “I had always thought the central line [of the student movement] should be a democracy; that was the mainspring of the December 9th movement. I would never have helped students opposed to democracy, even if they had been for the war with Japan.”[54]
Soon after the Xi’an Incident, Baptist missionary J. Spencer Kennard approached Helen and Edgar to publish a magazine to promote Christian ethics to “the young people of China.” “There’s no Christian ethic more important than telling the truth. . . . Christ was crucified for it,” Kennard said. The timing of such an opportunity seemed like “an act of God.” “If ever a magazine was needed, it was just at that very moment in China,” Helen said.[55]
Cover of the Democracy magazine published on May 15, 1937. Courtesy of L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University.
They debated on a broad spectrum of topics for the magazine and agreed on the freedom of speech as the central theme, settling on the title Democracy. It was to be a forum that “recognized the taboos of neither Right nor Left. . . .We used grandiose language. We were dealing with grand ideas.” Democracy itself was an unfamiliar concept in China in those days. Helen recalled, “No word remotely resembling this term existed in Chinese.”[56]
Rather than Western-style electoral democracy, their interests focused primarily on truth and the fundamental needs of people. “The special aspect of democracy that interests us is . . . the discovery and dissemination of that deadly foe of reaction and invincible ally of freedom—the truth. . . . Democracy has many faces and many reincarnations in human history. One essential is the opportunity for upward mobility, the right to develop and improve. In China then, it meant either mobilizing the people or permitting them to mobilize against Japan.”[57]
J. Leighton Stuart penned the magazine’s inaugural article, which focused on democracy in China.[58] He served as the president of Yenching University, a US-founded institution. Other early writers included Edgar Snow and Zhou Enlai, the first premier of the People’s Republic of China. When the Japanese invaded and seized copies from the presses that same year, the magazine’s production abruptly halted.[59] As the prominent Chinese journalism professor Hubert Liang said, the Democracy magazine was “one of the most important English periodicals ever put out in China. It was an immediate, sensational success, taking China’s intellectual world by storm.”[60]
Democracy is at the core of the American political psyche. It is even more so to Utah’s predominant religion, which claims that the United States Declaration of Independence is divinely revealed and asserts that the founding fathers are inspired figures.[61] This unique theology places a high value on democracy and freedom, which could have affected Helen’s strong belief in these principles since her early years.
The “Gung Ho” Cooperative Movement
The “Gung Ho” Cooperative Movement, spearheaded by Helen Foster Snow, was critical in promoting democratic ideals and economic development in China. Through this movement, villages united to support and assist one another, specializing in specific trades to achieve economies of scale, increased production, and job creation. The cooperative society brought the Industrial Revolution to the interior of China, offering decentralized industry and humane working conditions.[62] Both the Nationalists and Communist Party supported Helen’s efforts in revitalizing the economy during the Japanese invasion, providing essential goods and employment for those in need. It was called Gong He (公合) in Chinese, meaning “working together.” Later, the American media popularized the term as “Gung Ho.”[63] Edgar Snow stated, “‘Industrial Cooperation,’ as realized today in hundreds of busy self-supporting workshops throughout China, was thus first of all the brainchild of Nym Wales.”[64]
A blanket manufactured by the Gong He (Gung Ho) Cooperative stored at L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University. Courtesy of Peter Chan.
“In this period of destruction, construction is news,”[65] Helen said. “Cooperative industry lays the foundation for democracy in China. While Fascism spreads destruction over Europe, and annihilates the concept of human dignity and freedom, here is a golden opportunity for one-fifth of mankind to march progressively forward and build a powerful democracy in Asia as an ally for the forces of freedom everywhere.”[66]
The cooperative movement saved hundreds of thousands from starvation in China and attracted international attention. Countries such as the Philippines, Australia, New Zealand, Korea, and even Japan took notice of this “meteoric phenomenon.” India, with a population comparable to China, greatly benefited from this economic model. Soong Ching-ling, the wife of Sun Yat-sen, the founder of the Republic of China, presented Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first prime minister, with a copy of Helen’s book China Builds for Democracy: A Story of Cooperative Industry while Nehru was imprisoned by the British.[67] Nehru eagerly embraced the book, studied it thoroughly, and later implemented cooperatives throughout India.[68] When Helen visited India in 1972, the press rightfully hailed her as the “Mother of Cooperatives.”[69] The cooperative movement’s impact extended beyond borders, and its legacy endures, exemplified by the establishment of India’s Ministry of Cooperation in 2021, dedicated to empowering cooperatives at the grassroots level.[70]
Built in 1869, the Cedar City Co-op Store was the community marketplace where Helen and her family would have been familiar with. Courtesy of Utah Historical Society.
Helen established industrial cooperatives in response to the dire conditions faced by refugees, a testament to her deep sense of compassion. This compassionate spirit was instilled in her by her mother, who actively assisted members of their rural community while serving as the president of the local women’s organization in their church.[71] While Helen did not directly reference her personal experience with cooperatives in Utah, it’s important to note that cooperatives were firmly established in the state during her formative years. Cooperative stores existed in her native Cedar City, nearby St. George, Salt Lake City, and other cities.[72] As BYU sinologist Paul Hyer explained, “A short time before Helen Foster Snow was born, many LDS people lived in a communal life with similarities to communal life in old China or the socio-economic structure of China after 1949. . . . The purpose of this somewhat utopian approach was in part for survival under poor physical conditions, but it is also stemmed from the LDS ideal of developing a model society, the Christian ideal of a ‘Zion Society.’ Chinese familiar with the remin gungshe or “communes” instituted by Mao Tsetung (Mao Zedong) can readily understand this lifestyle. A study of the Mormon experiment confirms that free agency and individual rights were much more evident than in the Chinese case.”[73]
From Trek West to the Long March
Helen’s achievements were deeply rooted in her courage, her unwavering sense of justice, and what we may describe as a stubborn sense of integrity. She fearlessly leaped from a hotel window to evade watchful guards, embarking on a perilous journey to trace the treacherous Long March to the caves of the Communist headquarters. She aimed to interview Mao Zedong, Zhu De, Zhou Enlai, and other early leaders to shed light on the reality of the primitive lives in those remote mountains. This daring journey was reminiscent of her ancestors’ trek “across the plains with horse or ox-drawn covered wagons” to settle in the desert land of Utah.[74]
One of the many visitors to Helen's home in her later years was Huang Hua, a former student leader of the December 9th movement who later became the first ambassador to the United Nations of the People's Republic of China. Far left: Helen Foster Snow. Far right: Huang Hua. Courtesy of L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University.
Helen’s trailblazing journey symbolized her pioneering work in other areas, particularly her advocacy for feminist justice. She was determined to give women the voice and recognition they deserved in history. While in the mountainous communist headquarters, she dedicated significant efforts to interviewing women and revealing their untold stories.[75] These efforts led her to author two books—one highlighting the most influential women in contemporary China[76] and the other focusing on the experiences of ordinary women in the country.[77] For Helen, providing women with a voice and perspective on the world was of utmost importance, a sentiment that resonated with her mother’s revolutionary efforts in the women’s suffrage movement.[78]
In the years following Helen’s return to the United States, her unwavering sense of integrity remained evident as she continued her writing endeavors, even when they brought meager incomes. Following her divorce from Ed, Helen chose to spend her later years in Connecticut. During the McCarthy era, a period of intense anticommunist sentiment in the United States, she intentionally kept a low profile. This was a time when individuals with any connection to or interest in China were often unfairly targeted, regardless of their actual political beliefs. It’s important to note that Helen was never a communist or a sympathizer of communism; she considered herself to be nonpolitical.[79] Despite her monumental contributions to humanity, few knew about her remarkable achievements.[80] Helen remained close to her relatives in Utah, making several visits to see them and providing financial support for her nephew to attend BYU.[81] As time passed, she gradually revealed more of her work to those around her, particularly her niece, Sheril Bischoff, whom she appointed as the trustee of her literary trust. Helen’s photos, writings, and some historical artifacts were later donated to the BYU Library Special Collections, ensuring that Helen’s legacy and contributions to history are preserved and made accessible to future generations.[82]
In the 1970s, as the US-China relationship was reestablished, some of Helen’s old Chinese friends who had risen to become senior officials paid her visits. Learning about her financial struggles, they tried to help in the form of a thick envelope filled with cash. However, Helen’s strong principles of integrity and independence led her to decline the offer promptly and firmly return the envelope.When China invited her to visit, they offered to cover all expenses, but she insisted on funding the trip herself. She sold some of her jewelry and furniture to raise money for her airfare.[83] Helen staunchly emphasized that her writing was solely based on her personal experiences and that she had never been a communist. The value she placed on integrity and independence was deeply rooted in the principles passed down by her pioneer ancestors. She always asserted that she only wrote what she witnessed, remaining committed to the truth and upholding her reputation as an independent writer.[84]
"Helen and Zhu De.” Helen was asked to wear the same military uniform as others for her safety. In Bridging: A Photo Essay on the Life of Helen Foster Snow, ed. Sheril F. Bischoff (Yorba Linda: Shumway Family History Services, 1997, 245). Courtesy of Sheril F. Bischoff.
Visiting Yan’an (from left): Mao Zedong, Agnes Jaffe, T. A. Bisson, and Helen Snow. In Bridging: A Photo Essay on the Life of Helen Foster Snow, 237. Courtesy of Sheril F. Bischoff.
Conclusion
Helen Foster Snow’s extraordinary life journey is a testament to her indomitable spirit and unwavering commitment to truth, justice, and compassion. From her humble origins in rural Utah to becoming an intrepid journalist witnessing China’s tumultuous history, her story captivates and inspires.
In the 1980s, she was nominated twice for the Nobel Peace Prize. Helen said of the nomination as “not for any particular achievement, but for the potential that my ideas and world view hold for peace and progress in the world.”[85] Her remarkable achievements have recently been celebrated in her native Utah through various events, commemorating her role in promoting understanding between the East and the West. Some of these activities include:
- The L. Tom Perry Special Collections of the BYU Library houses a vast collection of Helen Foster Snow’s original materials, comprising around two hundred boxes of letters, original manuscripts, thousands of photos, and various historical artifacts.[86]
- In 2000 BYU produced a documentary video about Helen’s life and contributions titled Helen Foster Snow: Witness to Revolution. It is available on the Combat Film website and Vimeo.[87]
- Cedar City erected a life-size bronze statue of Helen in 2009.[88]
- In 2011 a theatrical presentation titled The Dream of Helen showcased Helen’s life.[89]
- Cedar City organized the Helen Foster Snow Day celebration for multiple years including the latest in 2017.[90]
- The Helen Foster Snow Foundation was founded in Utah in 2018 “to preserve, promote, and continue Helen’s legacy of building bridges of understanding between the US and China.”[91] It has since sponsored multiple events, including conferences and symposiums.
- In both 2020[92] and 2021,[93] Peter Chan drafted resolutions aimed at recognizing Helen Foster Snow’s significant contributions in Utah. With the support of the Helen Foster Snow Foundation and the sponsorship of Representative Karen Kwan and Senator Evan J. Vickers, an important resolution passed unanimously in both the Utah House and Senate in 2022. It was subsequently signed by Governor Spencer J. Cox and highly praised from Lieutenant Governor Deidre Henderson.[94]
- In 2021 Peter Chan and doctoral student Min Hu collaborated to create a course at BYU titled “A Special Study of US-China Relations: Through the Life of Helen Foster Snow.” This unique course is now offered as a special topic within the Global Women’s Studies program.[95]
- From March to July 2022, the L. Tom Perry Special Collections of the BYU Library hosted a photo exhibition called “Helen Foster Snow: Journalist, Humanitarian, & Old Friend of the Chinese People.”[96]
- In 2022 Southern Utah University founded the Helen Foster Snow Cultural Center.[97]
Helen’s importance today stems from her ability to unite people despite their differences, focusing on common goals that benefit everyone. She remained objective and neutral, avoiding political affiliations, and supported revolutionaries in China based on the sincerity and goodness that she observed in those early days. Her legacy helps bridge the gap between the people of China and the US, fostering international understanding and nurturing our shared humanity. An incident during her departure from the perilous Xi’an City encapsulated this sentiment. As her devoted bodyguard shed tears over their imminent parting, Helen felt the tangible depth of their foundational camaraderie. She reflected, “The Great Wall between China and the rest of the world seemed very far away. Here was the scrutable Chinese man in tears, as if leaving his dearest relative. This was grass-roots Chinese-American friendship. Never would I do anything to break this special relationship, woven of such a few, fragile threads in a world where merciless swords cut at international understanding and natural human identities.”[98]
In the current global landscape, characterized by increasing tensions and complexities in the US-China relationship, the qualities she exemplified are more crucial than ever. As geopolitical and ideological differences persist, fostering understanding, compassion, and open dialogue between the two nations becomes paramount.
Although Helen had not explicitly attributed her accomplishments to her Latter-day Saint upbringing, her roots continued to be a fundamental aspect of her identity. Her dedication to genealogy in her later years showcases a renewed connection to her family history and heritage. Becoming one of the few certified genealogists of her time, she embraced her family’s legacy and the importance of preserving and understanding one’s roots. Her life and legacy reminded us of the enduring impact that individuals can have when they fearlessly pursue their passions and stand for what is right. Her story will continue to inspire generations to come, igniting the spark of curiosity, compassion, and courage in pursuing a more just and harmonious world.
In the words of Senator Hatch, “Mrs. Snow built a bridge of goodwill between the hearts of Americans to the hearts of the Chinese people. Let her life stand as a reminder that what lies behind the very different political systems of the world are real people whose hearts and minds are not so far apart.”[99] Helen Foster Snow’s enduring legacy as a trailblazer, journalist, humanitarian, and activist can inspire all to strive for a better world where compassion and understanding transcend borders and unite humanity.
Notes
[1] Franklin D. Roosevelt, “Letter to Mrs. Edgar Snow,” in Bridging: A Photo Essay on The Life of Helen Foster Snow, ed. Sheril F. Bischoff (Yorba Linda, CA: Shumway Family History Services, 1997), 415.
[2] Joseph I. Lieberman, “Letter to President William Clinton of the United States,” in Bischoff, Bridging, 489.
[3] Jon M. Huntsman, “Letter to Ambassador Jin Yongjian,” in Helen Foster Snow Day, ed. Sheril F. Bischoff (self-pub., 2009), 37.
[4] China Society for People’s Friendship Studies, “1997 Major Events,” http://
[5] David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies, “Helen Foster Snow,” https://
[6] 凤县文旅局 (Fengxian Tourism and Culture Bureau), “中国工合运动纪念地” (China’s Cooperative Movement Memorial Site), June 6, 2024, http://
[7] “Books by Helen Foster Snow,” https://
[8] Shaanxi Snow Research Center, “Review of Shaanxi Snow Research Center in 2021 (陕西省斯诺研究中心2021年回顾),” https://
[9] Xiao Liang, “Meeting Helen Foster Snow 80 Years Later,” Beijing Review, http://
[10] Baike Baidu, “冒险的美国女人” (An Adventurous American Woman), June 6, 2024, https://
[11] Jian Wang, “海伦·福斯特·斯诺纪念图片巡回展江西揭幕” (Helen Foster Snow Photo Exhibition Tour Kicks off in Jiangxi), June 6, 2024, http://
[12] “RED记忆”讲解队 (“RED Memory” Interpretation Team), “海伦·福斯特·斯诺图片展开幕仪式” (Our College Held the Opening Ceremony of Helen Foster Snow Photo Exhibition), June 6, 2024, https://
[13] Hunan Provincial Government, “Helen Foster Snow Photo Exhibition Tour,” June 6, 2024, http://
[14]阮梓峰, ed., “Helen Foster Snow Photo Exhibition Tour,” trans. Pang Yuehui, https://
[15] Foreign Language College, “Exhibition of China’s International Friend Helen Foster Snow,” Civil Aviation University of China, May 16, 2023, https://
[16] “Adam Foster on China-US Friendship Legacy,” CGTN News, April 1, 2022.
[17] Karen E. Hyer, “Hannah Davis Foster, Cedar City’s Pioneer Woman Activist: Helen Foster Snow’s Mother and Role Model,” in Helen Foster Snow Day, ed. Sheril F. Bischoff (Cedar City, UT: self-pub., 2009), 60–69.
[18] Hyer, “Hannah Davis Foster,” 60–69.
[19] Katherine Kitterman, “First to Vote: Utah’s Unique Place in the Suffrage Movement,” BYU Studies 59, no. 3 (2022): 17–43.
[20] Kelly Ann Long, Helen Foster Snow: An American Woman in Revolutionary China (Boulder: University Press of Colorado, 2006), 15.
[21] Long, Helen Foster Snow, 17.
[22] Long, Helen Foster Snow, 15–16.
[23] Long, Helen Foster Snow, 18.
[24] Long, Helen Foster Snow, 16.
[25] Long, Helen Foster Snow, 19.
[26] Long, Helen Foster Snow, 20.
[27]Helen Foster Snow: Witness to Revolution, directed by Dodge Billingsley, 2000, https://
[28] Helen Foster Snow, My China Years (New York: William Morrow, 1987), 35–38.
[29] National Flood Relief Commission, Report of the National Flood Relief Commission (Shanghai: The Comacrib Press, 1933), https://
[30] Snow, My China Years, 29–30.
[31] Snow, My China Years, 29–30.
[32] Snow, My China Years, 54.
[33] Long, Helen Foster Snow, 42.
[34] Snow, My China Years, 323.
[35] Xinquan (Katy) Cao, “Helen Foster Snow: A Journalist in the Chinese Revolution in the 1930s” (master’s thesis, Brigham Young University, 2002); Xu Zhao and Yuan Zhang, “Up Close with Helen,” China Daily, December 14, 2019.
[36] Sean Callebs, “Centenary and Beyond: Yan’an Has Witnessed Some Defining Moments in China’s Modern History,” CGTN, June 18, 2021.
[37] Lynn Arave, “Historians Hail LDS Church Record Keeping,” Deseret News, April 6, 2009.
[38] Sheril Bischoff, interview by Peter Chan, August 8, 2023, Orem, UT.
[39] Hyer, “Hannah Davis Foster,” 60.
[40] Snow, My China Years, 154–62.
[41] Snow, My China Years, 157.
[42] Peter Rand, China Hands (New York: William Morrow, 1987), 148–49.
[43] Rand, China Hands, 150.
[44] Snow, My China Years, 154–55.
[45] Rand, China Hands, 152.
[46] Hyer, “Hannah Davis Foster,” 60–69.
[47] Tien-wei Wu, The Sian Incident: A Pivotal Point in Modern Chinese History (Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1976).
[48] Snow, My China Years, 204.
[49] Wu, The Sian Incident, 193–208.
[50] Snow, My China Years, 194.
[51] Snow, My China Years, 195.
[52] Snow, My China Years, 196.
[53] Hyer, “Hannah Davis Foster,” 60.
[54] Snow, My China Years, 212.
[55] Snow, My China Years, 220–21.
[56] Snow, My China Years, 222.
[57] Snow, My China Years, 222.
[58] Snow, My China Years, 223.
[59] Snow, My China Years, 226.
[60] Snow, My China Years, 226.
[61] Ezra Taft Benson, “Our Divine Constitution,” October 1987 general conference, Gospel Library.
[62] Nym Wales, China Builds for Democracy: A Story of Cooperative Industry (Beijing: Foreign Languages Press, 2004), 8.
[63] Andrea Bernardi and Mattia Miani, “The Long March of Chinese Co-operatives: Towards Market Economy, Participation, and Sustainable Development,” Asia Pacific Business Review 20, no. 3 (July 3, 2014): 330–55.
[64] Snow, My China Years, 307.
[65] Wales, China Builds for Democracy, xix.
[66] Wales, China Builds for Democracy, 8.
[67] Snow, My China Years, 307.
[68] Wales, China Builds for Democracy, 5–9.
[69] Sheril F. Bischoff, comp., Bridging: A Photo Essay on The Life of Helen Foster Snow (Yorba Linda, CA: Shumway Family History Services, 1997), 433.
[70] Parthasarathi Biswas, “Explained: Why a Ministry of Cooperation,” Indian Express, July 15, 2021.
[71] Hyer, “Hannah Davis Foster,” 60–69.
[72] “Extension, Enterprise, and Education: The Legacy of Co-operatives and Cooperation in Utah,” Utah State University Digital Exhibits, 2023, http://
[73] Paul Hyer, “Foreword: The China-Utah Connection: Notes on Helen Foster Snow,” in Bridging: A Photo Essay on The Life of Helen Foster Snow, ed. Sheril F. Bischoff (Yorba Linda, CA: Shumway Family History Services, 1997), xv–xxi.
[74] Hyer, “Foreword,” xvii.
[75] Helen Foster Snow, Inside Red China (New York: A Da Capo Paperback, 1979), 167–204.
[76] Helen Foster Snow, Women in Modern China (Paris: Mouton, 1967).
[77] Helen Foster Snow, “Women in Traditional China” (unpublished manuscript, 1980), Helen Foster Snow Papers, MSS 2219, Box 75, Folder 1, L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Harold B. Library, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT.
[78] Hyer, “Hannah Davis Foster,” 60–69.
[79] Robert M. Lichtman, The Supreme Court and McCarthy-Era Repression: One Hundred Decisions (Champaign: University of Illinois Press, 2012).
[80] Daryl Austin, “At the Table with Chairman Mao—the Story Behind the Controversial Cedar City–born Journalist Who Witnessed a Revolution,” Deseret News, January 8, 2023.
[81] May Zhou and Yuan Zhang, “Curating the Legacy of 1930s Eyewitness to a Changing China,” China Daily Global.
[82] Lindsey Switzler, “Chinese Officials Visit BYU, Salt Lake on Religion,” Daily Universe, May 11, 1998.
[83] Bischoff, interview.
[84] Sharon Crane, “Helen Snow After China: A Continuation of Her China Years,” recorded presentation given to students of the course Global Women’s Studies 390R, A Special Study of US-China Relations: Through the Life of Helen Foster Snow, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT.
[85] Snow, My China Years, 329.
[86] Helen Foster Snow papers, 1932–76, L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT.
[87]Helen Foster Snow, Billingsley.
[88] Mark Havnes, “Chinese Honor Cedar City Native with Bronze Statue,” Salt Lake Tribune, 2009.
[89] Carole Mikita, “Life of Utah Humanitarian Celebrated in ‘The Dream of Helen,’” Deseret News, November 22, 2011.
[90] “Helen Foster Snow Day,” Southern Utah University, September 21, 2017, https://
[91] Helen Foster Snow Foundation (website), 2022, https://
[92] Utah State Legislature, H.C.R.026: Concurrent Resolution Recognizing Helen Foster Snow’s Contributions to the People of China and Utah (2020), https://
[93] Utah State Legislature, H.J.R.016 Joint Resolution Honoring Helen Foster Snow (2021), https://
[94] Utah State Legislature, S.C.R.009 Concurrent Resolution Honoring the Life and Legacy of Helen Foster Snow.
[95] Min Hu, “Helen Foster Snow Course Development” (Provo, UT: unpublished manuscript, doctoral project, Brigham Young University, July 7, 2021), ; Peter Chan and Min Hu, “Helen Foster Snow: A Little-Known Utah Woman Who Changed China,” Global Women’s Studies Colloquium, Brigham Young University Kennedy Center, February 10, 2022, https://
[96] “Past Exhibits in 2022,” Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University, https://
[97] Kenzie Lundberg, “SUU Opens Helen Foster Snow Cultural Center,” SUU News, September 28, 2022.
[98] Snow, My China Years, 289.
[99] Concurrent Resolution Honoring the Life and Achievement of Helen Foster Snow.
