China Bestows Rare Honor on Minnesota Pawnbroker Who Returned Historic Photos of 1937 Massacre–Only 3rd Westerner to Get Award
At a gala that seems like the Chinese equivalent of America’s ball drop in Times Square, a Minnesotan was honored with a prestigious award for his service to the Chinese people.
Evan Kail runs a pawn shop in Minnesota where in 2022 came into possession of a photo album containing dozens of stills that document Japanese war atrocities during the 1937 attack and occupation of Nanking, now Nanjing.
“One of my rules when handling artifacts related to WWII is that if an item has any direct connection to a war crime, or holds potential historical significance, it doesn’t belong in private hands. Instead, it belongs in a museum or a place where it can be studied and preserved for the public,” Kail told China Daily. “I also wondered if the photos, if previously unknown, could have historical value beyond my means to assess.”
After sufficient perusal, Kail contacted the Chinese consulate in Chicago explaining that the photographs belonged to the Chinese nation, and hoped to organize appropriately for their repatriation.
Kail enjoys a significant social media following on TikTok and Instagram. Following the discovery, other reports have quoted Kail saying that he began to get bizarre, threatening messages from people looking to get their hands on the photo album, or who accused him of being a spy for the Chinese.
The Nanjing massacre is still a hot political issue today, and there are some ultranationalistic Japanese who deny or downplay that it ever happened.
The consultant sent a letter of thanks to Kail that also contained an exquisite yellow porcelain tea jar—a rare honor bestowed to foreigners who have performed acts of remarkable service to the Chinese people. The porcelain is made by hand with one of the most ancient surviving methods.
Kail explained the China Daily he had studied World War II in high school, but the topics rarely delved into the experience of the Chinese, who as a whole suffered the second-highest number of casualties during the worldwide conflict. The TikTok videos Kail made drew massive attention from Chinese viewers, and it got him interested in learning more about Chinese history.
Eventually, in December 2024, Kail embarked on a 1-month trip to China as a “global peace advocate,” a role Chinese media were more than happy to bestow on him.
Kail visited Nanjing, obviously, but also Shanghai, Tianjin, and Beijing, and he even received an invitation to attend the Chunwan, an annual variety show that’s part of the Lunar New Year’s Gala.
A SIMILAR STORY BUT IN JAPAN: Wife of WWII Soldier Spends Decades to Reunite Japanese Family With Photo Album He Found on Okinawa –LOOK
“It’s great to see Evan, the American who donated a precious WWII photo album to China, at our national Spring Festival Gala this year!” the Chinese Ambassador to the United States, wrote on social media.
“Whoever shows kindness to the Chinese people will always be reciprocated with kindness. Evan, you now have 1.4 billion Chinese friends!”
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The porcelain Kail received represents an honor that has been given to only two other Westerners, South China Morning Post reports, both in connection to their efforts to save and protect civilians during the Nanjing massacre.
“China has made this the proudest thing that I have ever done in my life. This is my greatest achievement in my life,” Kail told the Global Times.
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