The 1882 Foundation held its annual end-of-year dinner celebration on December 17, 2024. New friends and old ones all gathered at Chinatown Garden not only to remember and discuss the events from the year, but also to commemorate the repeal of the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act. December 17th is so significant to the Chinese American community for obvious reasons; the 1882 Exclusion Act was the first piece of legislation to explicitly bar a nation from immigration to the United States and its repeal was a major step forward in achieving equality for the Chinese and Asian immigrants more largely. However, December 17th is also a significant day in general American history. America was founded on ideas of freedom, equality, and independence, but oftentimes we find that is not the reality America lives in. Repealing the Exclusion Act is another step in solidifying those ideas into the fabric of our reality.
While enjoying the usual 1882-style dinner of “railroad food,” director Ted Gong gave a speech about the various accomplishments the Foundation had achieved throughout the year; such as hosting the Rural Chinatowns and Hidden Valleys Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah, a Genealogy Workshop with My China Roots, and receiving the Mellon Foundation Grant. Some especially good news was announced by Lisa Davidson from the National Historic Landmarks Program of the US National Parks Service. The Summit Tunnel in the Sierra Nevada Mountains was officially designated as a National Historic Landmark. The 1882 Foundation has been working closely with the National Forest Service and the National Historic Landmark Program over the past few years for this site to gain the recognition it so rightly deserves.
The 2024 Recap Dinner was one of the largest attended dinners in 1882’s history, with a total of 63 attendees. We would like to thank everyone who has supported us over the past year, and look forward to 2025!
