Early life
Ah Jook Ku was born on April 24 1910 in Kailua, Hawaii.
Ku attended Mid-Pacific Institute on a scholarship. Ku served as a high school reporter for the Honolulu Star-Bulletin while at Mid-Pacific. She went on to earn a degree in education from the University of Hawaii in 1933. Following her degree at Hawaii, Ku graduated from the University of Missouri School of Journalism in 1935, also on a scholarship. Ku was only the third woman of decent to graduate from the School of Journalism. Additionally, she became only the second Hawaiian "exchange student" to graduate from the journalism school.
Ku was often involved with various university journalism clubs while in college. She often appeared on campus radio broadcasts and before community groups as an advocate for Hawaii.
Despite her academic achievements, Ku's parents believed that girls did not deserve an education. She often recounted a story about how her father once considered selling her for a single bag of rice. Ku commented on her father's atitude towards education, "the head of the family wasn't eager about educating women."
Career
Ah Jook Ku returned to Honolulu following her graduation form the University of Missouri. She began work at the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, where she had previously worked as a high school correspondent. Ku was hired by the Associated Press in 1943 during World War II, becoming the AP's first Asian American reporter. She remained as a reporter for the AP wire service until 1946.
Ku left Hawaii for China in 1948 aboard the Pacific maiden voyage of the S.S. President Cleveland. She took a job at the of the Nationalist Chinese government of Chiang Kai-shek as an English language editor. She was based in Nanking, China, for just 18 months at the position before the 1949 forced her to return to Hawaii.
Ku began working in the growing field of public relations once she returned to Hawaii from China. She worked at a number of organizations including the Hawaiian branch of the Salvation Army, the Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce and the Hawaii Employers Council. She ultimately worked as an information specialist for the before her retirement in 1975.
Advocacy
Ah Jook Ku became executive director of the Honolulu Community Media Council in 1975, the same year that she retired from the Department of Education. The council had been founded as a nonprofit volunteer group in 1970. The group was created in response to a ban on reporters from the Honolulu Star-Bulletin and Honolulu Advertiser from press conferences by then Frank Fasi. Its purpose was to promote accurate and ethical journalism within Hawaii, support rights and seek public access to government information. Ku remained involved with the Council as executive director for 25 years. Ku was especially active in the 1980s, fighting on behalf of Hawaii's sunshine law. She retired from the Council in 2002.
Ku was an original founding member of a group called "Save Our Star-Bulletin" in the late 1990s. The group was formed in response by an attempt by Liberty Newspapers, the former owner of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, to shut down the newspaper in 1999. The "Save Out Star-Bulletin" sued Liberty Newspapers in U.S. federal court and successfully blocked the closure of the Star-Bulletin.
Awards
Ah Jook Ku was awarded the Fletcher Knebel Award for outstanding contributions to journalism by the Honolulu Community Media Council in 2002.
Books
*''The Chinese in Hawaii''
Death
Ah Jook Ku died on Monday, August 6 2007 at Leahi Hospital in Honolulu. She was 97 years old. She was survived by one sister, Yuk Jun Joseph, and several nieces and nephews. Her funeral was held on August 21 2007.
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