Photojournalist Corky Lee stands with photos he took during protests after Vincent Chin's murderers were acquitted. (Kay Nguyen | Voices)
By Kay Nguyen
Voices
As the 30th anniversary of Vincent Chin’s death approaches, AAJA convention goers are gathering in Detroit — where the case that sparked the Asian Pacific American civil rights movement unfolded.
Roland Hwang, vice president of American Citizens for Justice, said the amount of interest by AAJA to highlight the Chin case was encouraging. The organization was formed after Chin’s slaying.
“It should resonate well with the AAJA convention attendees, since that’s part of the reason why they came to Detroit,” Hwang said.
Chin, a Chinese American, died after two White autoworkers beat him with a baseball bat the night of his 1982 bachelor party. The pair assumed Chin, 27, was Japanese and used him as a scapegoat for losing American jobs to international competition. The men served no jail time, and protests followed.
Two RSVP-only events commemorating Chin’s life slated for the week are full, according to Frank Witsil, convention co-chair.
Photojournalist Corky Lee documented a 1983 march to the office of the judge who made the decision in the case. The show of unity across racial bounds honored Chin’s memory.
Lee will exhibit his photographs at an event called “Through the Lens” Saturday at the Chinese American Community Center in Madison Heights, a suburb near Detroit. The event also will feature a showing of “Vincent Who?,” a documentary about Chin’s case.
“There should never be another Vincent Chin,” Lee said.
Hwang is participating in a panel discussion Thursday that precedes a viewing of “Who Killed Vincent Chin?” an Academy Award-nominated documentary by Christine Choy, who also will be in attendance.
“From the beginning, the Michigan Chapter, and Michigan leaders, envisioned this program and wanted to make use of the theater in the (Renaissance Center),” Witsil said.
Convention organizers and panelists hope to spread more awareness about the landmark case.
“The legacy continues,” Hwang said. “There’s a lot of substance one can gain from it.”
Follow Kay Nguyen @kaynguyen.
