New York, NY (April 16, 2022) — The following statement was issued today by Zhengyu Huang, President of Committee of 100, in regard to the city of Denver, Colorado passing a resolution apologizing to Chinese Americans for the city’s role in historical racism and an anti-Chinese riot that occurred in 1880.
On October 31,1880 in Denver’s Chinatown, a riot specifically targeting Chinese Americans ensued, resulting in the death of a Chinese man named Look Young.
“Committee of 100 applauds the decision by the city of Denver to pass a resolution to publicly apologize to Chinese Americans for the horrific violence stemming from xenophobia. As we continue to battle anti-Chinese and anti-Asian sentiments today, the racism that gave fuel to that event over 140 years ago still reverberates today. We hope this signals a continued path, for both the city of Denver and the nation, to acknowledge, learn from, and heal from the errors of the past.”
San Francisco, San Jose, Antioch, and Los Angeles have all recently apologized for past xenophobia and violence directed at Chinese Americans.
About Committee of 100
Committee of 100 is a non-profit U.S. leadership organization of prominent Chinese Americans in business, government, academia, healthcare, and the arts focused on public policy engagement, civic engagement, and philanthropy. For over 30 years, Committee of 100 has served as the preeminent organization committed to the dual missions of promoting the full participation of Chinese Americans in all aspects of American life and constructive relations between the United States and Greater China. Visit https://www.committee100.org/ or follow Committee of 100 on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for more information.
