#50. Asians Are Strong, My Gift to America
The Making of Wong Kim Ark Day
On March 28, 1898, the U.S. Supreme Court delivered a landmark decision in United States v. Wong Kim Ark, ruling that anyone born on U.S. soil is a citizen under the 14th Amendment — a foundational affirmation of birthright citizenship. Wong Kim Ark, born in San Francisco to Chinese immigrant parents, stood at the center of this historic case, helping to define the legal meaning of American citizenship. 127 years later, on March 28, 2025, grassroots AAPI organizers from Asians Are Strong and the Asian Justice Movement came together with the San Francisco Mayor’s Office to proclaim this date as Wong Kim Ark Day. Wong Kim Ark Day is not only a long-overdue recognition of a man whose courage uplifted the Asian American community, but also a reminder that Asian Americans have always been part of shaping American history.