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== Background == == Background ==
] ]
The ] was an armed conflict (1 November 1955 - 30 April 1975) between ], supported by the ] and ], and ], supported by the ]. More than 3 million people were killed during the Vietnam War, and over half of the ] were Vietnamese civilians.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Vietnam War {{!}} High Point, NC |url=https://www.highpointnc.gov/2113/Vietnam-War#:~:text=1955-1975,States%20and%20the%20Soviet%20Union. |access-date=2024-11-28 |website=www.highpointnc.gov}}</ref> The ] marked the end of the ] when ], the capital of ], was captured by ] on 30 April 1975. ] was shortly renamed ] following the end of the ].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Hopkins |first=George W. |date=October 2000 |title=Historians and the Vietnam War: The Conflict Over Interpretations Continues |url=https://www-jstor-org.byu.idm.oclc.org/stable/23414548?seq=1 |journal=Studies in Popular Culture |volume=23 |issue=2 |pages=99-108 |via=JSTOR}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Espiritu |first=Yen Le |date=2006 |title=The "We-Win-Even-When-We-Lose" Syndrome: U.S. Press Coverage of the Twenty-Fifth Anniversary of the "Fall of Saigon" |url=https://muse.jhu.edu/article/199138 |journal=American Quarterly |volume=58 |issue=2 |pages=329–352 |issn=1080-6490}}</ref> The ] was an armed conflict (1 November 1955 - 30 April 1975) between ], supported by the ] and ], and ], supported by the ]. More than 3 million people were killed during the Vietnam War, and over half of the ] were Vietnamese civilians.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Vietnam War {{!}} High Point, NC |url=https://www.highpointnc.gov/2113/Vietnam-War#:~:text=1955-1975,States%20and%20the%20Soviet%20Union. |access-date=2024-11-28 |website=www.highpointnc.gov}}</ref> The ] marked the end of the ] when ], the capital of ], was captured by ] on 30 April 1975. ] was shortly renamed ] following the end of the ].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Hopkins |first=George W. |date=October 2000 |title=Historians and the Vietnam War: The Conflict Over Interpretations Continues |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/23414548 |journal=Studies in Popular Culture |volume=23 |issue=2 |pages=99–108 |jstor=23414548 |via=JSTOR}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Espiritu |first=Yen Le |date=2006 |title=The "We-Win-Even-When-We-Lose" Syndrome: U.S. Press Coverage of the Twenty-Fifth Anniversary of the "Fall of Saigon" |url=https://muse.jhu.edu/article/199138 |journal=American Quarterly |volume=58 |issue=2 |pages=329–352 |doi=10.1353/aq.2006.0042 |issn=1080-6490}}</ref>


In the days preceding the ], the ] evacuated thousands of Americans and ] citizens, but many ] were left behind. In the years that followed 1975, hundreds of thousands of ] people fled Vietnam on boats and ships.<ref name=":0"/> Between 1975 and 1995, around 800,000 Southern Vietnamese refugees left Vietnam and arrived in a different country, but between 200,000 to 400,000 Southern Vietnamese refugees died at sea.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Vo |first=Nghia M. |title=The Vietnamese Boat People, 1954 and 1975-1992 |publisher=McFarland & Company, Inc. |year=December 29, 2005}}</ref> This mass migration of South Vietnamese people to 50 countries worldwide is known as the ].<ref>{{Citation |last=Nguyễn |first=Nathalie Huỳnh Châu |title=Vietnamese Diasporas: an introduction |date=2024 |work=Routledge Handbook of the Vietnamese Diaspora |pages=1–26 |url=https://research.monash.edu/en/publications/vietnamese-diasporas-an-introduction |access-date=2024-11-29 |publisher=Routledge |language=English}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Cunningham |first=Stuart |last2=Nguyen |first2=Tina |date=1999-01-01 |title=Popular Media of the Vietnamese Diaspora |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/13183222.1999.11008705 |journal=Javnost - The Public |language=EN |doi=10.1080/13183222.1999.11008705 |issn=1318-3222}}</ref> Currently, over 6 million Vietnamese people are living abroad in more than 130 countries; the largest community resides in ], United States.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-10-05 |title=CSUF Economists Analyze Little Saigon, Largest Vietnamese Community Outside of Southeast Asia |url=https://news.fullerton.edu/spotlight/csuf-economists-analyze-little-saigon-largest-vietnamese-community-outside-of-southeast-asia/ |access-date=2024-11-29 |website=CSUF News |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Promoting resources of overseas Vietnamese development |url=https://vietnamlawmagazine.vn/promoting-resources-of-overseas-vietnamese-for-national-development-71125.html |website=Vietnam Law & Legal Forum}}</ref> In the days preceding the ], the ] evacuated thousands of Americans and ] citizens, but many ] were left behind. In the years that followed 1975, hundreds of thousands of ] people fled Vietnam on boats and ships.<ref name=":0"/> Between 1975 and 1995, around 800,000 Southern Vietnamese refugees left Vietnam and arrived in a different country, but between 200,000 to 400,000 Southern Vietnamese refugees died at sea.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Vo |first=Nghia M. |title=The Vietnamese Boat People, 1954 and 1975-1992 |publisher=McFarland & Company, Inc. |date=December 29, 2005}}</ref> This mass migration of South Vietnamese people to 50 countries worldwide is known as the ].<ref>{{Citation |last=Nguyễn |first=Nathalie Huỳnh Châu |title=Vietnamese Diasporas: an introduction |date=2024 |work=Routledge Handbook of the Vietnamese Diaspora |pages=1–26 |url=https://research.monash.edu/en/publications/vietnamese-diasporas-an-introduction |access-date=2024-11-29 |publisher=Routledge |doi=10.4324/9781003036104-1 |language=English}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Cunningham |first1=Stuart |last2=Nguyen |first2=Tina |date=1999-01-01 |title=Popular Media of the Vietnamese Diaspora |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/13183222.1999.11008705 |journal=Javnost - the Public |volume=6 |pages=71–92 |language=EN |doi=10.1080/13183222.1999.11008705 |issn=1318-3222}}</ref> Currently, over 6 million Vietnamese people are living abroad in more than 130 countries; the largest community resides in ], United States.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-10-05 |title=CSUF Economists Analyze Little Saigon, Largest Vietnamese Community Outside of Southeast Asia |url=https://news.fullerton.edu/spotlight/csuf-economists-analyze-little-saigon-largest-vietnamese-community-outside-of-southeast-asia/ |access-date=2024-11-29 |website=CSUF News |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Promoting resources of overseas Vietnamese development |url=https://vietnamlawmagazine.vn/promoting-resources-of-overseas-vietnamese-for-national-development-71125.html |website=Vietnam Law & Legal Forum}}</ref>


April 30 is a day of reflection and remembrance for ] who experienced displacement and significant life changes following the end of the ]. For Vietnamese citizens in ], it marks the ] of the country and the start of a new era. This date holds different meanings depending on personal and historical perspectives. <ref>{{Cite web |title=Black April |url=https://www.ucsbvsa.com/black-april.html |access-date=2024-11-29 |website=UCSB Vietnamese Student Association |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=2013-04-04 |title=Viet Thanh Nguyen on Black April |url=https://dvan.org/2013/04/diacriticize-my-black-april/ |access-date=2024-11-29 |language=en-US}}</ref> April 30 is a day of reflection and remembrance for ] who experienced displacement and significant life changes following the end of the ]. For Vietnamese citizens in ], it marks the ] of the country and the start of a new era. This date holds different meanings depending on personal and historical perspectives. <ref>{{Cite web |title=Black April |url=https://www.ucsbvsa.com/black-april.html |access-date=2024-11-29 |website=UCSB Vietnamese Student Association |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=2013-04-04 |title=Viet Thanh Nguyen on Black April |url=https://dvan.org/2013/04/diacriticize-my-black-april/ |access-date=2024-11-29 |language=en-US}}</ref>
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In one Vietnamese community in ], California, members of the Vietnamese community remember Black April by gathering at Sid Goldstein Freedom Park on April 30. Members of the community recited poems, prayers, and traditional songs, and laid wreaths at the memorial wall to honor those whose lives were lost during the ] and Black April. Many of these community members reside in ], the largest diasporic community of Vietnamese people outside of Vietnam. Members in attendance wore military uniforms and traditional Vietnamese dresses called ].<ref name=":4" /> As of 2019, ], became the first city globally to recognize Black April Memorial Week. Each year, the city of Westminster flies the ], which stands as a symbol of unity for the ], at half-staff at the Vietnamese-American War Memorial at Sid Goldstein Freedom Park from April 23 through April 30.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Black April |url=https://www.westminster-ca.gov/government/city-channel-wtv/black-april |website=City of Westminster}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Vu |first=Anna N. |date=2017-11-05 |title=The politics of memory and commemoration: the flag debate and perspectives of Vietnamese diaspora intellectuals in North America |url=https://brill.com/view/journals/bdia/10/1/article-p25_2.xml?Tab%20Menu=abstract |journal=Diaspora Studies |volume=10 |issue=1 |pages=25–44 |doi=10.1080/09739572.2016.1239434 |issn=0973-9572}}</ref> In one Vietnamese community in ], California, members of the Vietnamese community remember Black April by gathering at Sid Goldstein Freedom Park on April 30. Members of the community recited poems, prayers, and traditional songs, and laid wreaths at the memorial wall to honor those whose lives were lost during the ] and Black April. Many of these community members reside in ], the largest diasporic community of Vietnamese people outside of Vietnam. Members in attendance wore military uniforms and traditional Vietnamese dresses called ].<ref name=":4" /> As of 2019, ], became the first city globally to recognize Black April Memorial Week. Each year, the city of Westminster flies the ], which stands as a symbol of unity for the ], at half-staff at the Vietnamese-American War Memorial at Sid Goldstein Freedom Park from April 23 through April 30.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Black April |url=https://www.westminster-ca.gov/government/city-channel-wtv/black-april |website=City of Westminster}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Vu |first=Anna N. |date=2017-11-05 |title=The politics of memory and commemoration: the flag debate and perspectives of Vietnamese diaspora intellectuals in North America |url=https://brill.com/view/journals/bdia/10/1/article-p25_2.xml?Tab%20Menu=abstract |journal=Diaspora Studies |volume=10 |issue=1 |pages=25–44 |doi=10.1080/09739572.2016.1239434 |issn=0973-9572}}</ref>


In one Vietnamese community in South Australia, members of the Vietnamese community commemorate Black April by holding a Black April Commemoration - Vietnamese Remembrance Day on April 30. The ceremony had two parts. The first part was held at the Australian-Vietnamese War Memorial in Adelaide, South Australia, and involved military attire and wreath tributes to honor those who lost their lives. The second part of the ceremony included a musical program and candlelight vigil at the Vietnamese Community Hall in Athol Park, South Australia.<ref>{{Cite web |date= |title=Black April Commemoration |url=https://www.sa.vnca.org.au/black-april-commemoration/ |website=Vietnamese Community in Australia}}</ref> In one Vietnamese community in South Australia, members of the Vietnamese community commemorate Black April by holding a Black April Commemoration - Vietnamese Remembrance Day on April 30. The ceremony had two parts. The first part was held at the Australian-Vietnamese War Memorial in Adelaide, South Australia, and involved military attire and wreath tributes to honor those who lost their lives. The second part of the ceremony included a musical program and candlelight vigil at the Vietnamese Community Hall in Athol Park, South Australia.<ref>{{Cite web |date= 26 March 2021|title=Black April Commemoration |url=https://www.sa.vnca.org.au/black-april-commemoration/ |website=Vietnamese Community in Australia}}</ref>


== Memorialization == == Memorialization ==
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== Significance == == Significance ==
Black April is a day, April 30, that has changed the lives of many ] and later generations of their families. It commemorates a day in which many view it as the day they lost their home country. Black April serves as a day for ] to reflect on the struggles of the past, the sacrifices made, and the hope for their communities in the future.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=Pho |first=Brandon |date=2021-04-30 |title=On “Black April,” Plans for Another Vietnam War Memorial in Westminster Spark A Different Debate |url=https://voiceofoc.org/2021/04/on-black-april-plans-for-another-vietnam-war-memorial-in-westminster-spark-a-different-debate/ |access-date=2024-11-29 |website=Voice of OC |language=en-US}}</ref> Black April is a day, April 30, that has changed the lives of many ] and later generations of their families. It commemorates a day in which many view it as the day they lost their home country. Black April serves as a day for ] to reflect on the struggles of the past, the sacrifices made, and the hope for their communities in the future.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=Pho |first=Brandon |date=2021-04-30 |title=On "Black April," Plans for Another Vietnam War Memorial in Westminster Spark A Different Debate |url=https://voiceofoc.org/2021/04/on-black-april-plans-for-another-vietnam-war-memorial-in-westminster-spark-a-different-debate/ |access-date=2024-11-29 |website=Voice of OC |language=en-US}}</ref>


== Controversy == == Controversy ==
Before its dedication in 2003, the ] Memorial at Sid Goldstein Freedom Park in ], was the subject of some controversy. In 1999, Consul General Phong Xuan Nguyen criticized the proposed memorial because of its depiction of a ] soldier standing next to an American soldier. According to Nguyen, this depiction of a ] soldier would bring back a bitter past that both sides have decided to leave behind. Nguyen suggested that the proposed memorial should replace the South Vietnamese soldier with a ]. According to Nguyen, including a ] soldier would more accurately represent the current relationship between the United States and Vietnam. Nguyen's requests were not accepted, the current memorial depicts a ] and an American soldier. The memorial stands as a gathering place for Vietnamese community members to remember Black April.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Allen-Kim |first=Erica S. |date=2014 |title=Exile on the Commercial Strip: Vietnam War Memorials in Little Saigon and the Politics of Commemoration |url=https://muse.jhu.edu/article/562515 |journal=Buildings & Landscapes: Journal of the Vernacular Architecture Forum |volume=21 |issue=2 |pages=31–56 |issn=1934-6832}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Breiteneicher |first=Jessica |date=2000-01-01 |title=Healing and Dividing: The Westminster Vietnam War Memorial |url=https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/wcaaspapers/vol1/iss63/1/ |journal=Selected Papers in Asian Studies: Western Conference of the Association for Asian Studies |volume=1 |issue=63}}</ref> Before its dedication in 2003, the ] Memorial at Sid Goldstein Freedom Park in ], was the subject of some controversy. In 1999, Consul General Phong Xuan Nguyen criticized the proposed memorial because of its depiction of a ] soldier standing next to an American soldier. According to Nguyen, this depiction of a ] soldier would bring back a bitter past that both sides have decided to leave behind. Nguyen suggested that the proposed memorial should replace the South Vietnamese soldier with a ]. According to Nguyen, including a ] soldier would more accurately represent the current relationship between the United States and Vietnam. Nguyen's requests were not accepted, the current memorial depicts a ] and an American soldier. The memorial stands as a gathering place for Vietnamese community members to remember Black April.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Allen-Kim |first=Erica S. |date=2014 |title=Exile on the Commercial Strip: Vietnam War Memorials in Little Saigon and the Politics of Commemoration |url=https://muse.jhu.edu/article/562515 |journal=Buildings & Landscapes: Journal of the Vernacular Architecture Forum |volume=21 |issue=2 |pages=31–56 |doi=10.5749/buildland.21.2.0031 |issn=1934-6832}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Breiteneicher |first=Jessica |date=2000-01-01 |title=Healing and Dividing: The Westminster Vietnam War Memorial |url=https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/wcaaspapers/vol1/iss63/1/ |journal=Selected Papers in Asian Studies: Western Conference of the Association for Asian Studies |volume=1 |issue=63}}</ref>


In 2021, Westminster's Mayor ], the first Vietnamese-American mayor in the ], proposed plans to build another ] memorial in ]. This new memorial would commemorate a ] battle called Mùa Hè Đỏ Lửa or the Red Fiery Summer, which culminated in the ] troops defeating the ] troops at the Citadel of ]. This battle stood as a symbol of hope that ] could win battles without much involvement from the U.S. troops. Mayor ] and some City Council members wanted to memorialize this battle by building a memorial called the ] Monument in Westminster. This plan was met with some backlash from local organization leaders because it would dilute the existing memorial at Sid Goldstein Freedom Park. These leaders argued that building more monuments would take away from the essence of the original memorial.<ref name=":5" /> On January 27, 2023, the Westminster City Council voted 3-2 to terminate the controversial plans for the ] Monument.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pho |first=Brandon |date=2023-01-30 |title=After Years of Division, Westminster Drops Plans for War Monument on Public Parkland |url=https://voiceofoc.org/2023/01/after-years-of-division-westminster-drops-plans-for-war-monument-on-public-parkland/ |access-date=2024-11-29 |website=Voice of OC |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-01-26 |title=Westminster’s Quang Tri monument project disbanded |url=https://www.ocregister.com/2023/01/26/westminsters-quang-tri-monument-project-disbanded/ |access-date=2024-11-29 |website=Orange County Register |language=en-US}}</ref> In 2021, Westminster's Mayor ], the first Vietnamese-American mayor in the ], proposed plans to build another ] memorial in ]. This new memorial would commemorate a ] battle called Mùa Hè Đỏ Lửa or the Red Fiery Summer, which culminated in the ] troops defeating the ] troops at the Citadel of ]. This battle stood as a symbol of hope that ] could win battles without much involvement from the U.S. troops. Mayor ] and some City Council members wanted to memorialize this battle by building a memorial called the ] Monument in Westminster. This plan was met with some backlash from local organization leaders because it would dilute the existing memorial at Sid Goldstein Freedom Park. These leaders argued that building more monuments would take away from the essence of the original memorial.<ref name=":5" /> On January 27, 2023, the Westminster City Council voted 3-2 to terminate the controversial plans for the ] Monument.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pho |first=Brandon |date=2023-01-30 |title=After Years of Division, Westminster Drops Plans for War Monument on Public Parkland |url=https://voiceofoc.org/2023/01/after-years-of-division-westminster-drops-plans-for-war-monument-on-public-parkland/ |access-date=2024-11-29 |website=Voice of OC |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-01-26 |title=Westminster's Quang Tri monument project disbanded |url=https://www.ocregister.com/2023/01/26/westminsters-quang-tri-monument-project-disbanded/ |access-date=2024-11-29 |website=Orange County Register |language=en-US}}</ref>


== See also == == See also ==

Revision as of 07:30, 30 November 2024

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Flag of the South Vietnamese government (8 March 1949 to 30 April 1975).

Black April, or Tháng Tư Đen, is a term used by overseas Vietnamese communities to commemorate the Fall of Saigon. The Fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975, marked the end of the Vietnam War and the South Vietnamese government. Black April is commemorated by overseas Vietnamese communities on April 30 of each year to celebrate life and mourn loss. Black April is a commemorative day for overseas Vietnamese people who were affected and displaced in the aftermath of the Vietnam War.

In Vietnam, April 30 is a public holiday in Vietnam referred to as Reunification Day or Ngày Thống nhất. Reunification Day is also known as Day of the Liberation of the South or Ngày Giải phòng miền Nam. This day commemorates the end of the War Against American Oppression, or Chiến tranh chống Mỹ xâm lược, on 30 April 1975, or the beginning of the reunification of South Vietnam and North Vietnam.

Background

Vietnamese refugees fleeing Vietnam by boat.

The Vietnam War was an armed conflict (1 November 1955 - 30 April 1975) between North Vietnam, supported by the Soviet Union and China, and South Vietnam, supported by the United States of America. More than 3 million people were killed during the Vietnam War, and over half of the casualties were Vietnamese civilians. The Fall of Saigon marked the end of the Vietnam War when Saigon, the capital of South Vietnam, was captured by North Vietnam on 30 April 1975. Saigon was shortly renamed Ho Chi Minh City following the end of the Vietnam War.

In the days preceding the Fall of Saigon, the United States evacuated thousands of Americans and South Vietnamese citizens, but many South Vietnamese were left behind. In the years that followed 1975, hundreds of thousands of South Vietnamese people fled Vietnam on boats and ships. Between 1975 and 1995, around 800,000 Southern Vietnamese refugees left Vietnam and arrived in a different country, but between 200,000 to 400,000 Southern Vietnamese refugees died at sea. This mass migration of South Vietnamese people to 50 countries worldwide is known as the Vietnamese Diaspora. Currently, over 6 million Vietnamese people are living abroad in more than 130 countries; the largest community resides in California, United States.

April 30 is a day of reflection and remembrance for overseas Vietnamese communities who experienced displacement and significant life changes following the end of the Vietnam War. For Vietnamese citizens in Vietnam, it marks the reunification of the country and the start of a new era. This date holds different meanings depending on personal and historical perspectives.

Commemoration

Every year, overseas Vietnamese communities gather on April 30 to remember and commemorate Black April. These events often feature gatherings at Vietnam War memorials, traditional áo dài attire, military uniforms, and speeches that honor those who lost their lives while sharing hopeful messages for future generations.

In one Vietnamese community in Texas, Vietnamese families gather at a local church on April 30 to remember families and friends who were lost during the Vietnam War and the Fall of Saigon. Among those in attendance are former Southern Vietnamese Army veterans dressed in their military uniforms adorned with the South Vietnam flag sewn on their sleeves. The service includes the raising of the South Vietnam flag, serving as a heartfelt symbol of remembrance and unity for the Vietnamese community in Texas.

In one Vietnamese community in Boston, members of the Massachusetts Vietnamese American community gathered on City Hall Plaza on April 30 to commemorate Black April, with many of the attendees wearing military uniforms. After maintaining this tradition for more than 20 years, the year 2024 marked the first time that Boston City Hall officially recognized the event and raised the South Vietnamese flag. The service included notable speakers such as Vinnie Bảo Toàn Than, the president of the Vietnamese-American Community of Massachusets, and State Rep. Tram Nguyen, the first Vietnamese American woman elected in Massachusetts. A key purpose of this service is to educate the younger generation on the history of Black April and the origins of overseas Vietnamese communities. Also in attendance of this service are the co-founders of 1975: A Vietnamese Diaspora Commemoration, Ngọc-Trần Vũ and Linh-Phương Vũ, whose initiative is to record and maintain the oral history of first-hand accounts of the Vietnam War and Black April. Following the commemoration at City Hall Plaza in Boston, community members lay wreaths at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Boston to honor the veterans whose lives were lost during the Vietnam War.

In one Vietnamese community in Fairfax County, Virginia, members of Voice of Vietnamese Americans hosted a Black April Commemoration on April 30 at the local Vietnam War Memorial. Among the attendees were leaders of local Vietnamese organizations, including Thang Nguyen, CEO & President of Boat People SOS in Falls Church, and Genie Nguyen, President and CEO of Voice of Vietnamese Americans. Both shared their personal stories as refugees and experiences fleeing Vietnam by boat. This gathering aims to honor their roots while inspiring younger Vietnamese Americans to contribute to building and strengthening the Vietnamese Community in Virginia.

Vietnam War Memorial in Westminster, California.

In one Vietnamese community in Orange County, California, members of the Vietnamese community remember Black April by gathering at Sid Goldstein Freedom Park on April 30. Members of the community recited poems, prayers, and traditional songs, and laid wreaths at the memorial wall to honor those whose lives were lost during the Vietnam War and Black April. Many of these community members reside in Little Saigon, the largest diasporic community of Vietnamese people outside of Vietnam. Members in attendance wore military uniforms and traditional Vietnamese dresses called áo dài. As of 2019, Westminster, California, became the first city globally to recognize Black April Memorial Week. Each year, the city of Westminster flies the South Vietnamese flag, which stands as a symbol of unity for the overseas Vietnamese communities, at half-staff at the Vietnamese-American War Memorial at Sid Goldstein Freedom Park from April 23 through April 30.

In one Vietnamese community in South Australia, members of the Vietnamese community commemorate Black April by holding a Black April Commemoration - Vietnamese Remembrance Day on April 30. The ceremony had two parts. The first part was held at the Australian-Vietnamese War Memorial in Adelaide, South Australia, and involved military attire and wreath tributes to honor those who lost their lives. The second part of the ceremony included a musical program and candlelight vigil at the Vietnamese Community Hall in Athol Park, South Australia.

Memorialization

In remembrance of Black April, a Vietnam War Memorial was dedicated on April 27, 2003, at Sid Goldstein Freedom Park, Westminster, California. This memorial features an American and a South Vietnamese soldier standing side by side. Behind the soldiers are the United States and South Vietnam flags, and in the center of the monument is an eternal flame bronze urn. On April 30, Vietnamese community members of Westminster gather at this memorial to commemorate Black April.

Significance

Black April is a day, April 30, that has changed the lives of many Vietnamese refugees and later generations of their families. It commemorates a day in which many view it as the day they lost their home country. Black April serves as a day for overseas Vietnamese people to reflect on the struggles of the past, the sacrifices made, and the hope for their communities in the future.

Controversy

Before its dedication in 2003, the Vietnam War Memorial at Sid Goldstein Freedom Park in Westminster, California, was the subject of some controversy. In 1999, Consul General Phong Xuan Nguyen criticized the proposed memorial because of its depiction of a South Vietnamese soldier standing next to an American soldier. According to Nguyen, this depiction of a South Vietnamese soldier would bring back a bitter past that both sides have decided to leave behind. Nguyen suggested that the proposed memorial should replace the South Vietnamese soldier with a North Vietnamese. According to Nguyen, including a North Vietnamese soldier would more accurately represent the current relationship between the United States and Vietnam. Nguyen's requests were not accepted, the current memorial depicts a South Vietnamese and an American soldier. The memorial stands as a gathering place for Vietnamese community members to remember Black April.

In 2021, Westminster's Mayor Tri Ta, the first Vietnamese-American mayor in the United States, proposed plans to build another Vietnam War memorial in Westminster. This new memorial would commemorate a Vietnam War battle called Mùa Hè Đỏ Lửa or the Red Fiery Summer, which culminated in the South Vietnamese troops defeating the Northern Vietnamese troops at the Citadel of Quang Tri. This battle stood as a symbol of hope that South Vietnam could win battles without much involvement from the U.S. troops. Mayor Tri Ta and some City Council members wanted to memorialize this battle by building a memorial called the Quang Tri Monument in Westminster. This plan was met with some backlash from local organization leaders because it would dilute the existing memorial at Sid Goldstein Freedom Park. These leaders argued that building more monuments would take away from the essence of the original memorial. On January 27, 2023, the Westminster City Council voted 3-2 to terminate the controversial plans for the Quang Tri Monument.

See also

References

  1. ^ Decibel | Black April. Retrieved 2024-11-28 – via www.pbs.org.
  2. ^ Rosen, Elisabeth (2015-04-16). "The Other Side of Vietnam: How the Winners Remember the War". The Atlantic. Retrieved 2024-11-28.
  3. "Vietnam War | High Point, NC". www.highpointnc.gov. Retrieved 2024-11-28.
  4. Hopkins, George W. (October 2000). "Historians and the Vietnam War: The Conflict Over Interpretations Continues". Studies in Popular Culture. 23 (2): 99–108. JSTOR 23414548 – via JSTOR.
  5. Espiritu, Yen Le (2006). "The "We-Win-Even-When-We-Lose" Syndrome: U.S. Press Coverage of the Twenty-Fifth Anniversary of the "Fall of Saigon"". American Quarterly. 58 (2): 329–352. doi:10.1353/aq.2006.0042. ISSN 1080-6490.
  6. Vo, Nghia M. (December 29, 2005). The Vietnamese Boat People, 1954 and 1975-1992. McFarland & Company, Inc.
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  8. Cunningham, Stuart; Nguyen, Tina (1999-01-01). "Popular Media of the Vietnamese Diaspora". Javnost - the Public. 6: 71–92. doi:10.1080/13183222.1999.11008705. ISSN 1318-3222.
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