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Council Member Susan Zhuang advocates for Chinese American Railroad Workers Memorial Day
0:15:12
ยท
3 min
Council Member Susan Zhuang delivers remarks on the forgotten history of Chinese American railroad workers and their contributions to American infrastructure. She advocates for the recognition of May 10 as Chinese American Railroad Workers Memorial Day, highlighting the importance of acknowledging this part of American history.
- Discusses the role of Chinese workers in building the transcontinental railroad and their presence in Brooklyn
- Mentions the Chinese Exclusion Act and its discriminatory impact
- Emphasizes the need to recognize and respect the contributions of immigrants in American history
Susan Zhuang
0:15:12
Thank you, chairs.
0:15:14
Today, I'm here to talk about American history.
0:15:17
Part of our history was missing in most textbooks in our society.
0:15:22
Most of workers who built the transcontinental railroad across the East Coast and the West Coast are Chinese.
0:15:31
But you will not see any Chinese railroad workers in the group photo making the completion of Continental Railroad in 1869.
0:15:44
One hundred years later, but then we find something about Chinese railroad workers.
0:15:51
Nearly 2,000 pounds of bones from Chinese workers were found from the desert of the Central Pacific Railroad sections.
0:16:01
Under each railroad sleeper, there are skeleton of a Chinese railroad worker.
0:16:07
The most dangerous part of the railroad was completed with the blood and the sweat of Chinese railroad workers.
0:16:15
Right here in our city, my team actually find the article here from Brooklyn Daily Times in 1876 wrote, 250 Chinese railroad workers arrived to Brooklyn to work on Rockway branch of Long Island Railroad.
0:16:35
Even today, the original railroad they built was still used.
0:16:41
Leyland Stamford was one of the four businessmen to make a lot of money from the Central Pacific Railroad, which was built with Chinese railroad workers.
0:16:52
He used that wealth to cofound it Stanford University, which is a good thing.
0:16:58
After the railroad completed, less than 20 later, despite the money he made of the Chinese railroad workers, he endorsed the Chinese Exclusion Act.
0:17:13
The federal law prohibited immigrants of Chinese and other Asians laborers for ten years and denied that they are residents already in The US and become citizens.
0:17:28
It was the first major US law to restrict immigration based on national origin and race.
0:17:38
This day will not only memorialize the brave and the commitment of Chinese Americans, but all the immigrants who built the railroad that connected the world.
0:17:50
We cannot erase the contribution of immigrants who give everything to our country.
0:17:56
Chinese culture is about community.
0:17:59
We work together with even without a common dialect.
0:18:03
We find ways to help each other.
0:18:05
That's what we all need to do as New Yorkers.
0:18:09
Let's not forget our collective history, which involves people of all culture.
0:18:16
We cannot create a version of America that erases history.
0:18:21
Our history our history needs to be cherished and respected.
0:18:27
I'm grateful to be here to share the forgotten history of America and the push to make May 10 the Chinese American Railroad Workers Memorial Day.
0:18:38
I want to thank council member Holden to give me his resolution, and I want to thank all my colleagues who co sponsored this resolution.
0:18:48
Thank you.