Samuel C. Chu ’51

Samuel C. Chu ’51, a distinguished historian known especially for his research and teaching in East Asian studies, died on August 30, 2013, in his hometown of Columbus, Ohio. He is survived by his wife, Lucy, three children and five grandchildren. Sam was born in Shanghai, emigrating to the United States with his parents as a young man. In reflecting on this background he later observed: “I value my upbringing in China. I am fortunate that by circumstances and by choice I am now at home, actually and psychologically, in America.” Sam spent his entire adult life in the academic world. Following graduation from Dartmouth he attended Columbia University, where he earned a master’s and Ph.D. in history. He served on the faculties of Bucknell University and the University of Pittsburgh (1958-69) before moving to the Ohio State University as professor of history and the first director of its highly regarded East Asian studies program. He retired in 1995, but continued teaching as a visiting professor at a number of colleges and universities, including Dartmouth. He was a Danforth Fellow and served as president of the Midwest Conference on Asian Affairs. He was widely sought after as a consultant and lecturer, serving as a resource person on several sold-out trips to China organized by the Dartmouth travel office. At Dartmouth Sam was a member of the Glee Club and elected to Phi Beta Kappa. He was an avid tennis player and sports fan, with a special fondness for “My Buckeyes.”