A talented Chinese lawyer who was banned from working in California because of the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act has been finally granted a license , 89 years after his death . 'It was also a blow to countless others who , like Chang , aspired to become a lawyer only to have their dream deferred on account of their race , alienage , or nationality , ' the unanimous court decision reads . 'It is past time to acknowledge that the discriminatory exclusion of Chang from the State Bar of California was a grievous wrong . ' Struggle : Hong Yen Chang , from Guangdong Province , China , travelled to the U.S. in 1872 when he was 12 years old . He studied law at Colombia , graduating in 1886 with 'high markings from the examiners ' . But he was banned from practising in California as he was ' a person of Mongolian nativity ' Defiant : In later life , Hong served as a banker and a diplomat , and was awarded a doctorate of law by the Chinese government . But he was never granted a license to practise law in California . Hong Yen Chang , from Xiangshan , Guangdong Province , was chosen to travel to the U.S. in 1872 when he was 12 years old , as part of a Chinese Educational Mission . He studied law at Yale and Colombia , from where he graduated in 1886 with 'high markings from the examiners ' . However , for the rest of his life he faced a struggle to practise law , as under 19th Century legislation ' a person of Mongolian nativity ' would not be accepted to the bar . In 1888 , after long deliberations , New York State passed An Act for the Relief of Hong Yen Chang , which waived the Chinese Exclusion Act in the state , allowing him to receive a license to practise law in New York . But the Californian authorities said that they did not recognise the New York ruling , leaving Hong unable to work there . On Monday , the California Supreme Court granted a. posthumous law license to Hong , known as America 's first Chinese-born lawyer . This came in response to petitions made by Hong 's descendants , as well as the Asian Pacific American Law Students . Association ( APALSA ) at the University of California . 'Even if we can not undo history , we can acknowledge it and , . in so doing , accord a full measure of recognition to Chang 's . pathbreaking efforts to become the first lawyer of Chinese . descent in the United States , ' the court said in its unanimous . ruling . 'More than a century later , the legal and policy . underpinnings of our 1890 decision have been discredited . ' The California high court blamed hostility toward Chinese , . cultural tensions and xenophobia for Hong 's plight , as well as a range of state . laws designed 'to disadvantage Chinese immigrants ' who moved to . California with other immigrants following the Gold Rush of the . mid-1800s . In later life , Hong served as a banker and a diplomat , and was awarded a doctorate of law by the Chinese government . He was Director of Chinese naval students at Berkeley , California , until his retirement in 1920 . He died in 1926 , after which his family began the fight to have him recognised in the state . Hong 's grand-niece , Rachelle Chong , is also a lawyer . She made history as the first Asian-American to be appointed to the Federal Communications Commission and the California Public Utilities Commission . Three of Hong 's other descendants are lawyers . 'We are absolutely thrilled with the ruling , ' said Chong . The longstanding injustice , she said had been a sore spot among Hong 's extended family for decades .
Hong Yen Chang , who died in 1926 , was a talented lawyer who graduated with top marks from California . He fought all his life to practise law , but was barred in Colombia due to legislation banning ' a person of Mongolian nativity ' from the profession . Now the Colombia Supreme Court has granted him a posthumous license , saying 'even if we can not undo history , we can acknowledge it '