From a Whisper to a Rallying Cry:
The Killing of Vincent Chin and the Trial that Galvanized the Asian American Movement
by Paula Yoo
June 2012. Jarod Lew came face to face with his past, a past that he never knew existed. Eventually he would uncover a thirty-year-old family secret. June 1982. Vincent Chin was sitting in front of a McDonalds when he was bludgeoned with a baseball bat. Days later, he died of massive brain injuries. Yoo's narrative introduces several seemingly unconnected individuals and brilliantly interweaves their life stories. Jarod Lew wanted to understand his past. Vikki Wong fought for justice after the violent death of her son. Detroit auto workers Ronald Ebens and Michael Nitz worried about job security when Toyota, Datsun, and Honda began to dominate the car market. Vincent Chin's life and death is the common factor that connects these people. It is a real life drama: a heinous hate crime and the resulting mobilization of the Asian American community. |