The Philip Jaisohn Memorial House at 100 East Lincoln Street is a local gem of world history. Once Dr. Jaisohn’s home, the museum preserves the life and legacy of one of the most important figures of modern Korean history. The full scope of Dr. Jaisohn’s work, spanning medicine, journalism, civic reform, and international advocacy, comes into focus inside the house itself.
For Koreans around the world, Dr. Philip Jaisohn (born Soh Jai-pil) is a national hero and a founding figure of Korea’s democratic movement. In the 25 years he lived in Media, he was a deeply beloved, recognized, and respected neighbor who walked the same streets we do today. His life and contributions were well documented in local publications, and was shaped by a life defined by far-reaching influence and profound transformation.
Born in 1864 in Chosun, now Korea, Soh Jai-pil belonged to a generation of young intellectuals who were reformers determined to rapidly modernize Chosun amid mounting foreign pressure. His involvement in an early reform movement forced him into exile, which eventually brought him to the United States as a political refugee.
In America, he rebuilt his life through education and medicine. Under his chosen name Philip Jaisohn, he became the first Korean to be naturalized as a U.S. citizen in 1890 and the first Korean to earn an American medical degree in 1892. He later married Muriel Armstrong, daughter of the U.S. Postmaster General, in what is considered the first documented interracial marriage between a Korean and an American. As an American, he was also a medical officer in U.S. wars.
Political conditions allowed him to return, and the Chosun government urged him to accept a ministerial position. He declined, insisting that his purpose was to empower the people, not to enter politics himself. The reform movement he sparked ignited Korea’s struggle for independence throughout the 20th century.
Dr. Jaisohn is revered for achievements including founding Korea’s first modern newspaper, advocating for democratic ideals, serving as a key voice for Korean independence during decades of Japanese colonial rule, organizing the first Korean Congress in Philadelphia to advocate for Korea’s right for self-determination, establishing the Korean Information Bureau and the League of Friends of Korea, and countless other enduring contributions. He encouraged ordinary citizens to envision and demand a democratic and equal future through education and debate.
While his advocacy continued throughout his life, Dr. Jaisohn and his family settled down in Media. In 1927, he, his wife, and daughters moved into a red-brick Federalist-style home on East Lincoln Street. He lived in this house until his death in 1951. It was here that he continued writing, mentoring younger generations, and practicing medicine. In addition to his medical practice in nearby Chester, he treated patients from an office located behind the old post office at 114 West State Street in downtown Media. He was also an active member of the Media Rotary Club. He participated fully in civic life as both a physician and a community member.
After Korea’s liberation in 1945, he returned once more as a senior adviser to help guide the nation’s rebuilding efforts.
By the end of his life, Dr. Jaisohn had served both Korea and the United States. He earned commendations from Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry Truman. When his ashes were returned to Korea in 1994, tens of thousands gathered to welcome him home. Across Korea today, monuments, museums, and institutions honor his legacy.
Here in Media, his legacy was commemorated posthumously on Jaison Street, a two-block stretch between East 2nd and East 3rd Streets. It stands as a reminder of his lasting impact on the community, as much as he himself was an integral part of Media.
Above all, Dr. Jaisohn’s biggest legacy is his principles. He believed in principles such as peace, equality, ability/education, common sense, and ethical behavior, because he believed that these are the foundation to a strong, independent, democratic people.
This article only begins to outline Dr. Jaisohn’s extraordinary life. Much of his story is best discovered in person at the Philip Jaisohn House, where photographs, documents, footage, and personal artifacts offer a much deeper insight into both his international influence and his life in Media. The house offers guided tours, three floors of exhibits, and is open and free by appointment.
To schedule a visit, email info@jaisohn.org or call 610-627-9768.
Source: America’s Best Gift to Korea: The Life of Philip Jaisohn by Channing Liem, Ph.D.
Additional historical material courtesy of the Philip Jaisohn Memorial Foundation.
“Neither follow the government blindly nor forget that the government is the servant of the people. That is my lifelong desire.”
— Philip Jaisohn (Soh, Jai-pil), message to the Korean
“We will speak if there is any government official who does wrong.”
— From Dongnipsinmun (The Independent Newspaper)