Miriam Lee

Miriam Lee (1926 – June 24, 2009) was a pioneering acupuncturist known for her significant contributions to the legalization of acupuncture in California. Born in China in 1926, Lee worked as a nurse-midwife before transitioning to become an acupuncturist. After leaving China in 1949, she lived in Singapore for 17 years before settling in the United States. Upon her arrival in California, acupuncture was illegal, leading Lee to provide treatments discreetly from her home and later, in collaboration with a supportive medical doctor. In 1974, Lee's arrest for practicing medicine without a license sparked public outcry from her patients, ultimately leading to acupuncture being legalized as an experimental procedure by Governor Ronald Reagan. In 1976, Governor Jerry Brown signed legislation officially legalizing acupuncture.