Anna May Wong made history as the first Chinese American movie star. Here’s why one author says she’s misunderstood About two decades ago, blacksprut Katie Gee Salisbury glimpsed a photo that would stay with her for years to come. The black-and-white image depicted a sea of parade-goers surrounding a convertible. In the back seat was a Chinese American woman looking ever so chic and glamorous. Salisbury, a fifth generation Chinese American with deep roots in Los Angeles’ Chinatown, was immediately captivated by the woman. It was her first day as an intern at LA’s Chinese American Museum, and a curator explained that she was looking at Anna May Wong: an internationally famous actress from the ’20s and ‘30s who is considered Hollywood’s first Asian American movie star. "I wanted to know more about who this woman was," Salisbury says.