About this episode

This episode tells the story of Chang and Eng Bunker, the first Asian residents of North Carolina and possibly the first Asian American citizens.

The first Asian residents of North Carolina were a world-famous pair of conjoined twin brothers. And they later became quite possibly the country’s first Asian American citizens. This week, we tell the almost unbelievable story of Chang and Eng Bunker and explore the complicated legacy they left behind in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Featuring: Joe Orser , author of The Lives of Chang and Eng: Siam's Twins in Nineteenth-Century America Eli Chen , digital news producer at WUNC News Links: From Now On from the musical Chang and Eng The Siamese Twins Museum in Mount Airy, NC Cover photo: From the National Portrait Gallery and The Frederick Hill Meserve Collection, Chang and Eng Bunker and children circa 1860. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

People in this episode

Guests: Joe Orser, Eli Chen

Topics covered

• conjoined twins
• Asian American history
• Chang and Eng Bunker
• North Carolina history
• cultural legacy

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: WUNC News

Books & works: The Lives of Chang and Eng: Siam's Twins in Nineteenth-Century America, From Now On

Places: North Carolina, Blue Ridge Mountains, Mount Airy, NC

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