Rise of Anti-Asian Hate Revives Asian American Civil Rights Movement, Vincent Chin's Murder

Nearly 40 years after the racially motivated murder of Chinese American Vincent Chin in Detroit, which sparked the modern Asian American civil rights movement, the hate crime is being seen in a new light alongside a more recent rise in anti-Asian hate across the country; one that looks similar to Chin's case, but some experts say is much worse. Back in 1982, when Vincent Chin was murdered by two autoworkers, a wave of anti-Asian sentiment swept over Detroit and the nation as it was mired in recession and Detroit automakers were losing market share to Japanese car company Toyota. Today, the murder of Vincent Chin resonates with a new wave of anti-Asian hate, heard through rhetoric around the COVID-19 pandemic and seen in the tragic Atlanta spa shootings and other racially motivated killings that have targeted Asian Americans. One Detroit Senior Producer Bill Kubota explores how Vincent Chin's legacy has shaped a new wave of Asian American civil rights activists. Plus, he explores how Vincent Chin's story is being used as a vehicle to educate K-12 students about Asian American history. Episode 637/Segment ` Watch "One Detroit" Monday and Thursday on Detroit Public TV at 7:30p ET. Or catch the daily conversations on our website at https://OneDetroitPBS.org, Facebook at   / onedetroit  , Twitter at   / onedetroitdptv   and Instagram @One.Detroit.