Lilly Fong
Dublin Core
Title
Lilly Fong
Subject
Source
Women in Nevada History: A Legacy Digital Project
Publisher
Women's Research Institute of Nevada (WRIN)
Rights
This resource is available for education and research purposes. This collection is a collaboration and combination of various projects including, but not limited to; the Women in Nevada History: A Legacy Digital Project, the Nevada Women’s Archives, the Las Vegas Women Oral History Project and the Makers: Women in Nevada History Project, a co-production of the Women's Research Institute of Nevada and VegasPBS. The text, images, audio and video in this collection are under copyright by different repositories and may not be reproduced without express written consent of the appropriate entities.
Person Item Type Metadata
Work/Contribution
First Asian American Regent
(Education and Business)
(Education and Business)
Birth Date
June 17, 1925
Birthplace
Arrival in Las Vegas
1950
Death Date
March 19, 2002
Date of Interview
February 29, 1980
May 6, 1992
May 6, 1992
Biographical Text
Lilly Fong was the first Chinese-American elementary school teacher in the city and was the first Chinese-American to sit on the Nevada State Board of Regents. She worked tirelessly for education during her 52 years in Las Vegas. She and her husband, Wing Fong, built Las Vegas businesses.
Lilly Fong was born in Superior, Arizona in 1925. She received an education degree from Arizona State University. In 1950, she relocated to Las Vegas to teach and became the first Asian-American elementary school teacher in the valley. She married Wing Fong, a local businessman, and they opened the well-known Fong’s Garden restaurant on East Charleston Boulevard while working in real estate.
Fong was active in the local branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW). She took an active interest in the state of education in the city and worked to support UNLV in its early days. She and her husband raised money for the UNLV Performing Arts Center in late 1960s.
Lilly Fong’s dedication to education led her to run for the Board of Regents. She served as a regent from 1974 until 1984. As a regent, Fong worked to identify alternative sources of funding for higher education. She also worked to promote the development of UNLV to keep pace with the rapid growth of Las Vegas. Following her narrow defeat for the Board of Regents in 1984, Fong continued to work to improve educational opportunities, teaching part-time on the college level. She also worked to establish an endowment fund for a Chinese language program at UNLV. UNLV honored Fong’s contributions by naming the geosciences building for her in 1985. She was named a Distinguished Nevadan in 1998 with her husband.
Lilly Fong passed away in 2002, but left a legacy on Las Vegas’ educational system.
Lilly Fong was born in Superior, Arizona in 1925. She received an education degree from Arizona State University. In 1950, she relocated to Las Vegas to teach and became the first Asian-American elementary school teacher in the valley. She married Wing Fong, a local businessman, and they opened the well-known Fong’s Garden restaurant on East Charleston Boulevard while working in real estate.
Fong was active in the local branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW). She took an active interest in the state of education in the city and worked to support UNLV in its early days. She and her husband raised money for the UNLV Performing Arts Center in late 1960s.
Lilly Fong’s dedication to education led her to run for the Board of Regents. She served as a regent from 1974 until 1984. As a regent, Fong worked to identify alternative sources of funding for higher education. She also worked to promote the development of UNLV to keep pace with the rapid growth of Las Vegas. Following her narrow defeat for the Board of Regents in 1984, Fong continued to work to improve educational opportunities, teaching part-time on the college level. She also worked to establish an endowment fund for a Chinese language program at UNLV. UNLV honored Fong’s contributions by naming the geosciences building for her in 1985. She was named a Distinguished Nevadan in 1998 with her husband.
Lilly Fong passed away in 2002, but left a legacy on Las Vegas’ educational system.
Bibliography
Guide to the Lilly Fong Papers. Special Collections and Archives. University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Collection # MS-00210.
Guide to the Lilly Fong oral history interview. Special Collections and Archives. University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Collection # OH-00594.
Lilly Fong, “An Interview with Lilly Fong, an Oral History Conducted by Annie Yuk-Siu Shum.” [transcript], Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas (1980), Special Collections and Archives, University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Lilly Fong, “Lilly Fong : family, community and university,” interviewed by Lisa M.W. Freemont on May 6, 1992 [Audio Recording and Book], OH-00549. Special Collections and Archives. University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Guide to the Lilly Fong oral history interview. Special Collections and Archives. University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Collection # OH-00594.
Lilly Fong, “An Interview with Lilly Fong, an Oral History Conducted by Annie Yuk-Siu Shum.” [transcript], Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas (1980), Special Collections and Archives, University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Lilly Fong, “Lilly Fong : family, community and university,” interviewed by Lisa M.W. Freemont on May 6, 1992 [Audio Recording and Book], OH-00549. Special Collections and Archives. University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Collection
Citation
“Lilly Fong,” Makers Teaching Modules, accessed October 5, 2026, https://mail.makersteachingmodules.sites.unlv.edu/items/show/45.