Joe Dan Yee

Joe Dan Yee was born in Lake Village, Arkansas to Tim Bow Yee and Shuey Gee Yee. His family was deeply involved with the Arkansas Chinese community. His mother often hosted Mahjong nights and his father served as a member of the Arkansas Chinese Association. These community gatherings left a lasting impact on Joe Dan, who still stresses the importance of Chinese family gatherings.

Growing up with five siblings, his mother made sure to keep Chinese traditions alive by making home remedies and teaching her children Cantonese. Joe Dan’s father ran a grocery store in Lake Village, Arkansas, which gave the Yee family opportunities to connect with members of Lake Village’s diverse Italian, Jewish, Lebanese, and Black communities. In Joe Dan’s high school years, he would often go to Tennessee and Mississippi to socialize with other Chinese Americans, and attended several of the annual social dances organized by the so-called “Lucky Eleven.” Joe Dan recalls his early education at St. Mary’s Catholic School. “You were all friends,” he recalled. “They didn’t look at the race.” However, he recounted a visit to a local dentist office with segregated entrances and his fathers dismissal of the signs.

Following High School, Joe Dan graduated with a degree in Marketing from the University of Arkansas, and subsequently moved to Houston, Texas. However, his strong bond with his parents led him back to his hometown, where he helped out in their store. He eventually inherited the store from his father, and his parents moved in with him. Beyond his success in the business world, Joe Dan has a long history of civic engagement in Lake Village. He ran a successful campaign for mayor, in which he secured more votes than all other candidates combined, and was even close friends with Bill Clinton.

Joe Dan believes that the history of his community needs to be recorded, as it is generally not taught or known. This history is more than just a list of names and dates for him, it’s the feeling of knowing you belong. Thinking of families who left Arkansas, he talks about how “the children are gone” and mourns what was lost. He wants to ensure that the Chinese and Southern Chinese American heritage will live on for generations to come by being devoted to his family, community, and traditions.

Story by Madi Hurst, Jay Nobles, Alex Busby, Jarrod Villareal, Israel Sidoti

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