Award-winning filmmaker, Ham Tran, returns to the Smithsonian with his first film, The Anniversary, a 28-minute short film about two brothers separated by the Vietnam War, that began as Tran's UCLA graduate school thesis project.
Tran's auspicious debut film went on to make the short list for a 2004 Oscar in the category of "Best Live Action Short" and won some 30 awards. Following the screening, Tran will be joined by Professor Linda Trinh Vo, Chair of the Asian American Studies School at University of California, Irvine, and Dr. Bich Nguyen, linguistics expert, to discuss the Vietnamese American experience captured on film.
This event is free and open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis. No tickets are required. Doors will open at 6:15 p.m. Due to brief moments of violence depicted in the film, parental discretion is advised.
March 7, 2008: “Exit Saigon, Enter Little Saigon” exhibit opens at San Jose City College in California March 7 and remains on view until June 1.
Initial Planning Began, September, 2004
In September of 2004, a number of Asian American community leaders and scholars met to initiate the Vietnamese American Heritage Project at the Smithsonian. These individuals committed themselves to commemorating the thirty-year anniversary of mass Vietnamese migration to the United States, and with the dedication and support of the community, this groundbreaking project promises to both convey – and make – Vietnamese American history.
Project Founders
Dr. V. Thanh Nguyen, Commissioner, Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery
Mr. Ban Tran, Senior Financial Advisor, Merrill Lynch
Mr. Chau Nguyen, Executive Director, Vietnamese American National Gallery
Mr. Hung Nguyen, President and CEO, National Congress of Vietnamese Americans
Mr. Bich Nguyen, Board Chair, National Congress of Vietnamese Americans
Ms. Renee Tran, Perot Systems
Dr. Franklin Odo, Director, Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Program (APA Program)
Ms. Gina Inocencio, Program Specialist, Smithsonian APA Program
Project Announced and Fundraising Began, November – December, 2004
The Smithsonian APA Program announced its plans for the Vietnamese American Heritage Project in late November of 2004, and D.C. area community leaders initiated the first phase of fundraising. The response was astonishing. Individuals from across the nation gave generously, and by the end of 2004, the APA Program secured $107,000 for the Vietnamese American Heritage Project – almost DOUBLE the original target of $60,000! Reaching this mark in less than six weeks was an unprecedented grassroots fundraising effort for the Smithsonian APA Program.
The Second Phase of Fundraising, January – October, 2005
In order to bring the Vietnamese American experience to the Smithsonian, the APA Program needed an additional $80,000 by October of 2005. To date, the Smithsonian and Vietnamese American leaders have raised $13,000 during this second round of fundraising. The APA Program still needs $67,000 to install and travel the exhibit. Some donors would like to establish a $1 million Smithsonian endowment that would ensure Vietnamese Americans’ permanent spot in this national museum complex.
Heritage Project Director Joins Team, April, 2005
After a nation-wide search, the APA Program hired Dr. Vu H. Pham to curate the upcoming exhibit. Dr. Pham completed his doctoral work in History at Cornell University with an emphasis on Asian American Studies, Vietnam Studies and Organizational Culture.
Click here to read the press release announcing Dr. Pham's selection as Project Director
Dr. Vu Pham
Project Director
Interns Join Project Team, June, 2005
During the summer of 2005, a team of talented undergraduate and graduate student interns assisted Dr.Pham and the APA Program in formulating the exhibit plan, developing public programming and launching an educational website.
Vietnamese American Heritage Project Interns
From left to right: Pouy Tran, Katie Truong, Huong Huynh, Khoi Nguyen, Jessica Johnson, and Trinh Tran. Not Pictured: Jenny Uchida
Website Launched, July, 2005
With the hard work of the Vietnamese American Heritage Project team, the initial version of the official Project Website launched in July of 2005. The site explains the Project’s Mission, Vision and Approaches, as well as its significance. In the future, it will include content about Vietnamese American history and essays by influential members of Vietnamese America.
California Outreach, July, 2005
In the third week of July, Project leaders traveled to California to mobilize the communities in Orange County and San Jose. The July 20, 2005 reception at Bridgecreek Development Company featured speeches by Frank Jao and John Duong.
Phase Two Fundraising Deadline, October 1, 2005
In order to install and travel the exhibit, Smithsonian APA Program needs to raise an additional $67,000 by October of 2005.
Educational Website Launch, Fall, 2005
By late fall of 2005, the APA Program will supplement the existing website with a wealth of educational resources. These original materials will include nearly three dozen essays on Vietnamese American history and culture as well as memoirs by prominent community members.
Tet Dinner, Winter, 2006 Washington, D.C.— A Tet Dinner for the benefit of the Smithsonian Vietnamese American Heritage Project (the “Project”) netted a record $250,000. The amount far surpassed the initial goal of raising the additional $12,000 to finish the fundraising campaign. More...
Creation of Smithsonian Vietnamese American Heritage Endowment
Support the Smithsonian Vietnamese American Heritage Endowment to educate the general public, honor the early pioneers and inspire future generations. Make it possible for the Smithsonian, to tell the Vietnamese American story through public programs, exhibits, fellowships, research, oral histories, and collections. More...
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