Washington–1882 Project Chair Michael Lin last month urged the community to lobby their senators and representatives in a nationwide, grassroots effort to help pass “congressional resolutions expressing regret for the injustice of Chinese Exclusion Laws, first enacted in 1882.”

The laws, since repealed, prevented people of Chinese descent from entering the U.S. Lin, joined by other leaders from national Asian American organizations, stressed its relevance to today’s concerns.

Remarked Ted Gong, vice president of Washington D.C. Lodge: “The issue is not really a Chinese one–it is a civil rights issue which affects all Americans.” He was one of the speakers at the July 14 reception thanking lawmakers and others for their support. Venue was Covington & Burling LLP, which is providing pro bono support. OCA leader Ginny Gong emceed the program.

Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) Executive Director Floyd Mori said, “This is something that this great country should not have done…We have to do something to correct what is wrong.”

Lin said another goal is to start a nationwide education campaign. The Association for Asian American Studies “has forged a partnership with us to ensure scholarly studies of what transpired historically, why it happened and how to prevent it in the future,” he added.

The project’s brochure traces Chinese American contributions to this nation in building and defending America: “They dug mines, worked fields, created industries, enriched the arts, and laid railroads to strengthen and unite the country. They fought in the Civil War on both sides, and for the United States in all its subsequent wars and conflicts.”

Resolutions

House Resolution 282 was filed in the U.S. Congress on May 26 by Representatives Judy Chu (D-CA), Judy Biggert (R-IL), Mike Coffman (R-CO), and Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA). A sister resolution was also introduced in the Senate.

Congresswoman Chu urged those present to imagine men and women and the challenges they faced on reaching the American shores years ago.

“It is the right thing to do,” said Congressman Mike Honda (D-CA) about supporting the project as a civic duty. Honda is the immediate past Chair of Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC). He thanked Congresswoman Chu for her leadership in filing the resolution and at CAPAC.

Martin B. Gold of Covington & Burling LLP stressed the bipartisan support for the resolutions, noting that in the Senate, six Democrats and four Republicans have come onboard. He stressed the role of an education campaign: “First, people should know it’s important, and second, it’s important to do something about it.”

The reception’s Host Committee was composed of Lin, Ms. Gong, Ken Lee, Ted Gong and Haipei Shue, Chiling Tong, Frank Wu and George Wu. Sponsors were Shu-Ping Chan, Helen He, Henry Lee, Lily Qi, Ruyan Teng and Lili Zhang. Wells Fargo was the corporate host.

The 1882 Project (www.Remembering1882.org) is “a nonpartisan, grassroots effort” led by the Chinese American Citizens Alliance, the Committee of 100, JACL, the National Council of Chinese Americans and OCA.