WeVote
Log In

Bill

Bill

SR 118

A resolution to commemorate April 20-26, 2026, as Black April Memorial Week.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Rosemary Bayer and 6 co-sponsors

Michigan designates April 20–26, 2026 as Black April Memorial Week to honor Vietnamese refugees, Americans, and the community’s contributions.

ADOPTED
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · SR 118

Summary: Senate Resolution No. 118 (2025-2026) – Black April Memorial Week

Purpose

  • To commemorate April 20–26, 2026, as Black April Memorial Week in Michigan.
  • Recognizes the historical events surrounding the end of the Vietnam War, the subsequent refugee movements, and the enduring contributions of Vietnamese Americans to the United States, including Michigan.

Key Provisions and Changes

  • Formal designation: The resolution designates a week in April 2026 as Black April Memorial Week to honor and reflect on the Vietnam War’s impact and its aftermath.
  • Narrative acknowledgement: It provides a historical overview of:
    • The end of the Vietnam War (including the fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975).
    • The loss and suffering experienced by Americans, South Vietnamese, and other Southeast Asian communities.
    • The various waves of Vietnamese refugees and asylum processes from the late 1970s onward (including Camp Pendleton, Fort Chaffee, Indiantown Gap; Boat People phenomenon; Orderly Departure Program; Operation Homecoming; Amerasian program).
    • The growth of the Vietnamese American community, now over 1.7 million nationwide and more than 25,276 in Michigan.
    • The civic assimilation, achievements across diverse sectors, and the establishment of Vietnamese American commercial districts (including in Michigan).
    • The importance of teaching future generations about the war’s lessons, freedom, human rights, and democracy.
  • Symbolic emphasis: Highlights the Vietnamese Heritage and Freedom Flag (yellow field with three red stripes) as a unifying symbol for Vietnamese people worldwide.
  • Local relevance: Notes Michigan’s Vietnamese American population and the presence of established communities and businesses in Michigan, including southeast Oakland County and west Michigan.

Who/What Is Affected

  • Geographic scope: Michigan; aligns state recognition with national and Vietnamese American communities.
  • Community impact: Honors Vietnamese Americans, refugees, and veterans while acknowledging their contributions to American society, culture, and economy.
  • Cultural education: Encourages recognition and remembrance within the state to Teach lessons about freedom, democracy, and human rights.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • Introduction date: April 30, 2026, by Senator Stephanie Chang.
  • Sponsorship: Co-sponsors include Senators John Damoose, Stephanie Chang, Sue Shink, and Rosemary Bayer.
  • Legislative action: This is a commemorative Senate Resolution; non-binding, ceremonial in nature, designed to express the Senate’s recognition and stance rather than create enforceable policy or funding.
  • Effective period: The resolution designates April 20–26, 2026, as Black April Memorial Week in Michigan.

Impact and Implications

  • Civic and educational impact: Provides a framework for schools, organizations, and communities in Michigan to observe and honor Black April, reflect on the Vietnam War’s consequences, and celebrate Vietnamese American contributions.
  • Symbolic significance: Reinforces awareness of Vietnamese heritage symbols and the community’s role in American civic life.
  • No fiscal mandate: The text does not propose spending or regulatory changes; it is a ceremonial acknowledgment.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

Sign in to ask a question.