Laurence Howe

Dr. Laurence Jong Howe grew up at the crossroads of cultures, navigating both racial divides and family expectations in the segregated South. Born on June 4, 1959, in Memphis, Tennessee, he was raised in Crawfordsville, Arkansas, where his family was the only Chinese household in town. Originally from Mississippi, his father William Chew Howe moved to Arkansas in 1938 in search of better educational opportunities. William Chew Howe ran Chew Howe Grocery, a cornerstone of the Crawfordsville community for nearly 50 years. By the time he was a teenager, Laurence was running the store when his father was away.

Chew Howe Grocery served both Black and White customers in a segregated town, and Laurence’s father extended credit to many families who relied on the store for survival. More than just a place to buy goods, the store became a community hub and even served as Crawfordsville’s fire reporting center. “During the day, if you looked in the phone book, the number to report a fire was our store,” Laurence recalls. “At night, the fire chief’s number was listed. There was a button to set off the fire siren right in front of our store.” 

Laurence remembers that his father, who had served as a U.S. Marine and fought in Iwo Jima during World War II, had to navigate the racial tensions of the 1960s carefully. At one point, Black residents of Crawfordsville threatened to boycott the store, believing they were not being treated fairly. The boycott never materialized, and the store remained a fixture in the community until William Howe retired in 1987.

In addition to the challenges of running a business as a Chinese American in the South, Laurence’s father also broke barriers in his personal life. In 1955, he married Laurence’s mother, who was of German-Irish descent. Interracial marriage was still illegal in many states at the time, and both sides of the family disapproved. “Chinese were supposed to marry Chinese,” Laurence recalls. His mother received harsh letters from his grandmother, and his father faced criticism for not marrying within the Chinese community. Yet, despite the initial resistance, the couple built a life together, raising their children in a household that reflected multiple cultural backgrounds. His mother learned to cook Chinese dishes, and at family gatherings, they enjoyed traditional Chinese meals, served family-style across multiple tables. Laurence also recalled how his father could seamlessly switch between Cantonese and English, which fascinated him as a child

Education was a top priority in the Howe household. After attending public school in Crawfordsville through the fourth grade, Laurence and his sister were sent to private schools in Memphis to receive stronger academic opportunities. He later pursued dentistry, a path his father encouraged, rather than taking over the family business. Today, he reflects on his family’s sacrifices with deep appreciation. Though his father’s store is long gone, the legacy of resilience, hard work, and service to the community remains at the heart of his story. Through family reunions and archival contributions, he actively helps preserve the history of Chinese Americans in the Delta, ensuring their stories are not forgotten. 

Story by Kayla Evans-Kennard

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