OVER 100 MEMBERS of the Vietnamese American community in San Jose gathered at a Black April commemoration ceremony this week marking 50 years since the fall of Saigon — a pivotal moment that sparked a mass migration of refugees, many of whom resettled in the South Bay.
In the heart of Little Saigon at the Vietnamese American Service Center, a health services hub for San Jose’s expansive Vietnamese diaspora, the 50th anniversary of Black April served as an opportunity to reflect on both the loss and resilience experienced by Southern Vietnamese people who fled their home to escape persecution.
San Jose’s Vietnamese Americans attended wearing South Vietnamese military uniforms, all black outfits, and accessories bearing the flag of South Vietnam — a yellow flag with three horizontal red stripes. The ceremony was comprised of several speeches and musical performances.
Bien Doan is a San Jose City Councilmember who escaped from Vietnam with his family in 1975 at the age of 10. He gave a speech at the ceremony, emphasizing the profound strength it took for Vietnamese refugees to sacrifice their entire lives in the pursuit of freedom.
“It is something that’s unimaginable, that you lost your country, you lost your family, you lost everything you own,” Doan said. “But yet, Americans gave us an open arm, brought us in to rebuild our lives.”
‘More than just a commemoration’
Supervisor Betty Duong, whose parents were able to escape Vietnam by boat, is Santa Clara County’s first Vietnamese American supervisor. During a speech, she described the somber feelings that Black April brings for many Vietnamese Americans.
“This is more than just a commemoration of history,” Duong said while trying to hold back tears. “It’s personal, it’s emotional, and for so many of us, it’s a reflection of the stories carried with our families — stories of loss, of sacrifice, of escape and of starting over with nothing but hope in a new land.”
On April 30, 1975, the Vietnam War ended as communist North Vietnamese forces captured Saigon, the capital of South Vietnam. With reunification in effect and South Vietnam under communist rule, more than one million Vietnamese fled their homeland in the years following the capture of Saigon.
Thousands resettled in Santa Clara County, in part because in 1975, it was only one of three congressionally designated refugee resettlement sites in the U.S, Duong said.
Today, the influence of Vietnamese American culture is woven into the fabric of San Jose. It is home to one of the largest Vietnamese American populations in the world outside of Vietnam, and includes people who have entered political office, city leadership positions, and started small businesses.
Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen came to the commemoration ceremony to show his respect for the county’s Vietnamese American community. He acknowledged that while Black April is a mournful time for many in the Vietnamese diaspora, it’s also a symbol of the community’s resilience.
“Like other strong immigrants, the Vietnamese braved incredible voyages and odds to come here, and now many of you have built wonderful new lives as Americans,” Rosen said. “This is a thriving community of prosperous businesses and successful families, of schools and community groups like the Vietnamese American Service Center.”
“Freedom is not free. To our elders, your sacrifice has built this foundation. … For that, we are forever grateful.”
Bien Doan, San Jose City Councilmember
The yellow flag with three red stripes, the flag of South Vietnam, flew freely on Wednesday outside the Vietnamese American Service Center. Older Vietnamese Americans dressed in South Vietnamese military uniform saluted to the flag with pride — a flag that is illegal to fly in today’s Vietnam.
It’s the chance at freedom, Doan said, that made the painful journey of leaving behind his homeland worth it.
“Freedom is not free,” Doan said. “To our elders, your sacrifice has built this foundation. You left everything behind and give your family a future rooted in freedom. For that, we are forever grateful.”
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