Event: Black April Commemoration
Cause: Remembering the fall of Saigon
Time: 6:00-9:00PM
Date: Wednesday, April 30, 2014
Location: San Jose City Hall inside the Rotunda
Address: 200 E Santa Clara St, San Jose, CA 95113
Dress Code: Semi-formal, black attire
Admission: FREE
FREE PARKING:
Please park at the 4th St. & E. San Fernando garage. There will be validation machines provided at the event.
Message from the Organizers:
The Vietnamese American Roundtable invites you to join us and the larger Vietnamese American community for the 39th Black April Commemoration on Wednesday, April 30, 2013 at 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the San Jose City Hall Rotunda, 200 E. Santa Clara Street, San Jose, CA 95113.
Black April is a deeply meaningful and important occasion for the Vietnamese diasporas and is observed each 30th day of April. In 1975, this date marked the Fall of Saigon and was the symbolic ending of the Vietnam War and the Government of the Republic of Vietnam. In the years following the end of the war, waves of tens to hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese fled the country as refugees–leaving as “boat people” to seek asylum and a new life in many foreign countries. Countless lives were lost in the open sea due to famine, disease, exposure, piracy, and more. Eventually, over 800,000 refugees were resettled in the United States and these communities have been thriving and growing ever since. The City of San Jose has the highest population of Vietnamese in any city outside of Vietnam.
The 39th Black April Commemoration will mark the historical significance of this period through multi-medium exhibits and personal stories of community members. This event is an educational event to bridge the gap between generations and serve as a remembrance of the number of lives lost and forever changed as a result of the Vietnam War.
SPONSORSHIP: If you would like to sponsor or contribute to our event, please contact our organizers at [email protected]. Donations will cover the cost of refreshments and other programming costs.
Sincerely,
Vietnamese American Roundtable Organizers
[email protected]
Frequently Asked Questions:
What can the youth look forward to at this event?
Black April is a date of remembrance for Vietnamese American communities, much like the Day of Remembrance for Japanese Americans or Holocaust Remembrance Day for Jewish Americans.
Will there be some kind of empowerment topics? leadership inspirational discussion?
The Fall of Saigon and subsequent immigrant/refugee experience is a major historical milestone in the lives of Vietnamese Americans. Younger generation of Vietnamese Americans can learn about this important period that has profoundly shaped their family’s existence here in the United States. Many younger generations often have many questions of how their family came to be in the United States — the exhibits and presentations at this event will provide a starting point for their understanding the unique Vietnamese American heritage.
Why Black April is important to the Vietnamese American community?
The event will provide visual and audio exhibits to attendees as a starting point for future discussions as attendees see fit with their own peers, their own families, and within their larger community.
Is this a political event?
This is a non-partisan event.
I am not Vietnamese. May I attend?
This is a public event hosted by the Vietnamese American Roundtable and the City of San José. We encourage everyone to come and learn more about the Vietnamese American history and culture.
