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Civil Rights

These students learn at the Immigrants Development Center in San Francisco before the Supreme Court ruled in the Lau v. Nichols case. Photo: SF History Center/SF Public Library.

50th anniversary of Lau v. Nichols landmark ruling on the rights of immigrant students for bilingual education

(SAN FRANCISCO) January 21, 2024 marks the 50th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court historic ruling on Lau v. Nichols in 1974. The Supreme Court unanimously ruled in favor of the non-English speaking Chinese immigrant students who sued the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) for bilingual education in order to receive meaningful schooling services. The landmark ruling has paved the way for the establishment of bilingual education at public school systems nationwide.

  • *Editor’s Note: Wong Kim Ark, a young U.S.-born Chinese American man, was detained and denied re-entry after he visited his parents in China and returned to San Francisco in 1895. Almost 130 years ago, the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association (CCBA) raised funds for Wong Kim Ark to support his legal battle for birthright citizenship. The Supreme Court ruled on March 28, 1898 to uphold Wong Kim Ark’s equal rights as a citizen of the United States where he was born. Harrison Lim, Senior CCBA Board Director, delivered his remarks on the historical background of the case at the Wong Kim Ark Day celebration in CCBA on March 25, 2023. Wind Newspaper reprints his address in this issue.

    Harrison Lim (third from left) delivers a remark on March 25, 2023 on the historical background of the landmark Wong Kim Ark court ruling 125 year ago. Photo by Ben Kwan

  • (SAN FRANCISCO) Supervisor Joel Engardio introduced a resolution at the Board of Supervisors to commemorate March 28 as the 125th anniversary of the Supreme Court's landmark ruling on granting Wong Kim Ark's birthright citizenship.

    Supervisor Joel Engardio (second from left) presents certificates of honor to leaders of the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association at the celebration of 125th anniversary of the Wong Kim Ark’s victory on birthright citizenship. Photo by Ben Kwan

  • (SAN FRANCISCO) Wong Kim Ark was born in San Francisco Chinatown. He left San Francisco for China to visit his parents on November 15, 1894. When he returned in August 1895, he was detained and denied entry. He fought all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court for his birthright citizenship. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Wong Kim Ark on March 28, 1898.

    Wong Kim Ark’s 14-year-old great great granddaughter Nina (right) attends the celebration with her mom Sandra Wong (left). She holds a children book, I Am An American - The Wong Kim Ark Story, which was released in 2021. Photo by Portia Li

  • (SAN FRANCISCO) San Francisco-born Wong Kim Ark, who returned to San Francisco in 1894 after visiting China, was denied re-entry to the United States and detained by the Customs. The Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association (CCBA) hired lawyers to file a lawsuit for Wong and fought all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court that ruled in favor of Wong on March 28, 1898 for birthright citizenship.

    San Francisco-born Wong Kim Ark was denied re-entry to the United States in 1894 from a visit to China. U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of Wong on March 28, 1898 for birthright citizenship. Courtesy the National Archives