Lofgren Commemorates 51 Years Since Black April

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), co-founder of the Congressional Vietnam Caucus, issued the following statement marking 51 years since the fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975:

"The fall of Saigon 51 years ago marked a turning point in world history, one that led to unimaginable hardship for the millions of Vietnamese who were displaced by a brutal communist regime. I remember volunteering with the Red Cross back in 1975 when the first wave of refugees were arriving in San Jose. On Tháng Tư Đen, or Black April, we honor the South Vietnamese military who fought alongside American troops to defend democracy and human dignity. This solemn day is also an opportunity to reflect on the many contributions the Vietnamese diaspora has made to California and to our country. I'm immensely proud to represent tens of thousands of Vietnamese Americans, and I will always use my voice in Congress to advocate for the release of political prisoners in Vietnam and for human rights globally."

Lofgren represents large parts of San Jose, home to nearly 150,000 Vietnamese residents, making it the largest Vietnamese population(link is external) of any city outside of Vietnam. She visited Vietnam in 2015 with then-Leader Nancy Pelosi (CA-11), where they met with dissidents persecuted by the Vietnamese government and handed government officials lists of political prisoners who ought to be released.

Lofgren and Rep. Sam Liccardo (CA-16) participated in a ceremony on Saturday at the Vietnamese American Service Center (VASC) in San Jose to commemorate Black April. She is also co-leading a resolution with Rep. Derek Tran (CA-45) to recognize the 51^st anniversary.

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