Rep. Derek Tran Shares Plans to Honor Vietnam Veterans & Vietnamese Community Ahead of the 50th Black April Commemoration

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Derek Tran (CA-45) announced a series of events and ongoing projects commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Fall of Saigon, also known as Black April or “Tháng Tư Đen” in Vietnamese. Fifty years after the oppressive communist regime took hold of South Vietnam on April 30, 1975, and fifty years since the first wave of the exodus, Rep. Tran will honor the sacrifices and resilience of the Vietnamese refugee community and recognize the diaspora’s significant contributions to our nation.

On April 30, Rep. Tran will host and participate in a series of events in Washington, the seat of American power, in observance of Black April. The day will begin with a press conference at the U.S. Capitol recognizing the 50th anniversary of the fall of Saigon, followed by a roundtable discussion with Vietnamese human rights activists and former prisoners of conscience. Congressman Tran will also host a Black April Commemoration event, where community leaders will gather to share personal journeys of struggles, triumphs and resilience. A complete program of events can be found below:

• Press Conference recognizing the 50th anniversary of the Fall of Saigon
• 50th Black April Memorial Commemoration
• Roundtable on Vietnamese Civil Rights
• Special Order Hour marking the 50th anniversary of the Fall of Saigon and Black April

Rep. Tran will also launch an initiative in conjunction with the Library of Congress to archive the experiences and personal items of Vietnamese refugees who fled after the Fall of Saigon, shining a light on the perils they endured and memorializing the thousands that perished at sea in search of freedom. Tran will also honor the sacrifices of Republic of Vietnam veterans and U.S. veterans who fought alongside one another in the name of freedom and democracy. Preserving these stories of sacrifice will create a lasting tribute to those who risked everything to defend democracy, and ensure that no communist regime can erase them from the historical record.

Rep. Tran is the first Vietnamese American elected to the U.S. Congress from California and the son of refugees who fled communist Vietnam. California’s 45th Congressional District is home to Little Saigon, the largest Vietnamese diaspora in the world.

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Congressman Derek Tran represents California’s 45th Congressional District. Serving his first term in Congress, Congressman Tran is a member of the House Armed Services Committee and House Small Business Committee, where he is Ranking Member of the Oversight, Investigations, and Regulations Subcommittee. Congressman Tran is the son of Vietnamese refugees, a Veteran, and fought for consumers as an attorney before entering Congress.