Vincent Chin 40^th Memorial

Lion Gateway, Chinatown Boston

On Sunday, June 26^th the Chinese American Heritage Foundation, area leaders, and special guests gathered in front of the Lion Gateway, Chinatown Boston in memory of Vincent Jen Chin marking the 40^th Anniversary of his death. The death of Vincent Chin is a reminder that 40 years later we are still the target of attacks.  Recent hate crimes against the AAPI community have taken their toll.  Recent mass shootings of AAPI workers sent shockwaves with each of us feeling like any of us on any day, anywhere can be the target of a hate crime.  We continue to ask the community to join us and stand in solidarity against hate and to remember the innocent lives lost. This memorial service featured special guests Salem, Massachusetts Mayor Kimberly Driscoll, Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden, NAACP Director and Boston past President Michael A. Curry, Esq., World War II Veteran, Tuskegee Airman Lieutenant Colonel Enoch Woodhouse II, and MCSW, and Eastern Region Commissioner, and Linda Champion, Esq.

Vincent Jen Chin (May 18, 1955 – June 23, 1982) was a Chinese American draftsman who was beaten to death in a racially motivated hate crime by two white men, Chrysler plant supervisor Ronald Ebens and his stepson, laid-off autoworker Michael Nitz. Ebens and Nitz assailed Chin following a brawl that took place at a club in Highland Park, Michigan.  Chin was celebrating at his bachelor party with friends in advance of his upcoming wedding on June 28, 1982.  The assailants believed that Chin was of Japanese descent and witnesses watched as the men used racial slurs as they beat him to death.  Ebens and Nitz blamed him for the success of Japan’s auto industry.  Vincent was the son of David Chin who served bravely in the U.S. Army during World War II and recipient of the Chinese American World War II Veterans Congressional Gold Medal.

“The surge of hate crimes and aggression targeting Americans of presumed Asian descent has appalled us” said Esther Lee, Board Chair and President of the Chinese American Heritage Foundation. “It has motivated us to launch Solidarity Against AAPI Hate (“SAAH”), an initiative established to change the perception of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders; and shift the conversation from toxic stereotypes towards respect and understanding our diverse community.   The Vincent Chin 40th Memorial is part of our SAAH initiative to bring Asian, Black, Brown, Native Hawaiian ,Pacific Islander and Native Americans together on our shared values, common aspirations, and goal of a better future for all Americans.

Wilson Lee, President of the Chinese American Citizens Alliance Boston Lodge said, “In 1982, Reverend Jesse Jackson took time from his then presidential campaign to go to Detroit to comfort the Chin family and show support for the national campaign to seek Justice for Vincent Chin.”  Lee went on to say, “the Vincent Chin 40^th Memorial on Sunday is not just to remember Vincent Chin but all victims of racially motivated killings and to rededicate ourselves to forging closer bonds with all communities of color and those that have been disenfranchised to end discrimination, hatred, and violence. Together we will live up to the promise of America, E pluribus unum, out of many one.” 

The Vincent Chin 40^th Memorial is organized by the Chinese American Heritage Foundation, the Asian Americans for Equal Right, Belmont Chinese American Association, Belmont Pan-Asian Coalition, Chinese American Association of Cambridge, Chinese American Association of Lexington, Chinese American Citizens Alliance Boston Lodge, Chinese Americans of Lexington, Chinese Americans of Massachusetts, Chinese Culture Connection, Chinese Friends of Needham, Chung Wah Academy of New England, East Movement, New England Chinese American Alliance, United Chinese Americans – MA.  The Chinese American Heritage Foundation promotes the recognition, appreciation, and celebration of historical contributions made to the United States by citizens of Chinese heritage.  The Chinese American Heritage Foundation is a tax-exempt 501(C)(3) non-profit organization.