方李邦琴女士獨資購買修建“鐵路華工中心”在舊金山中國城隆重開幕式上的講話

方李邦琴女士獨資購買修建“鐵路華工中心”在舊金山中國城隆重開幕式上的講話

2023年5月10日，方李邦琴女士獨資購買修建“鐵路華工中心”在舊金山中國城隆重開幕。這是繼方李邦琴女士2015年創建首座“海外抗日戰爭紀念館”後，又一偉大創舉。方李邦琴女士指出：鐵路華工的故事告訴我們，華裔美國人來到這個國家尋求機會和自由，就像來自歐洲、拉丁美洲和世界其他地區的許多人一樣，正是所有人一起組成了這個豐富多彩的國家、成為美國人。

最後一枚金釘不僅代表了宏偉的橫貫大陸鐵路的完成，也代表了華裔美國人對這個國家的成長和發展所做出的永久貢獻。金釘釘牢了東西部鐵路軌道和美國東西海岸的連接，也釘牢了華裔美國人作為美利堅合眾國偉大民族不可分割的一部分。

我們為方李邦琴女士喝彩，她精彩傳奇的一生，永遠是我們每一個人學習的榜樣！

創辦人方李邦琴在開幕式致辭

The Pacific Railroad was ground broken on January 8th, 1863 and completed on May 10th, 1869. On May 10, 1869, the word “DONE” was telegraphed to Washington D.C. and the U.S. Transcontinental Railroad was officially declared complete.

154 years later, on May 10, 2023 (today), we opened this Chinese Railroad Workers Center.

The center’s purpose: is not to forget Chinese Railroad Worker’s contribution to this country;

The center’s goal: is to give voice to the voiceless;

The center’s spirit: is to remember the past, and inspire the future.

It was the Chinese Railroad workers who built the hardest section of 700 miles through the Sierra mountains.

It was the Chinese Railroad Workers who made the record speed of building 10 miles of new tracks per day.

It was the Chinese Railroad Workers who laid out the last mile of railroad tracks and nailed down the last iron spike on it.

The famous picture “East & West shaking hand at the laying of the last nail celebration photos”, at Promontory Summit in Utah; in that picture Chinese Railroad Workers faces are nowhere to be seen.

In the U.S. Railroad History, Chinese Railroad Workers’ names were nowhere to be mentioned.

Even though their faces were not in the celebration picture; their names not recorded in any history record, that does not mean they did not exist; that they were not there.

In 1865, then CA Governor Leland Stanford testified to U.S. Congress, “Without these Chinese Railroad Workers it would be impossible to complete the Western portion of this great national enterprise.”

As a Chinese American, I feel a personal obligation to do something for these unsung heroes.

I discussed with many people on where the location should be for the Chinese Railroad Workers Center, and finally I decided it is in San Francisco Chinatown. It is a meaningful place to honor the Chinese Railroad Workers, and also to improve Chinatown’s business; help restore Chinatown’s economy after the pandemic.

I purchased the building on 8-8-2022 and right away started remodeling construction. Within 8 months’ effort, we are here to celebrate the opening. During the 8-months process, I really appreciate & feel that the whole Chinese community was behind me and is with me.

This building is the ideal place to introduce Chinese Railroad Workers to the large because it is at the gate of Chinatown from the Financial district & downtown and the ease of public transportation, to welcome local visitors and tourists from all over the world.

Behind me here, they are the exact replica of the original locomotives that the two met on May 10, 1869. Due to the space limit, we have to sized it down. They are made by real iron and all parts, colors and details are exactly copied down from the original design.

This Center will serve as a multi-function gathering place for all kinds of activities. Downstairs, it will have rooms for offices, classes or small seminars, for everyone from any background to learn and to know about Chinese-Americans & Asian-Americans history in the U.S.

Especially this month of May, is also the AAPI heritage month. This center will provide the true picture & stories of Chinese (Asian) Americans in this country, to send a positive message to the public. Hope Chinese Railroad Workers’ contribution to the formation of this country will be better represented. And hope we can reduce and stop the Anti-Asian sentiment and crime against Asians.

As a first-generation Asian American who was born in China, immigrated to America, and have been an American citizen for 60 years. Even so, I often still ask myself: who am I? I often identify myself as having two mothers: America and China. However, it is different for me and to the 2nd and 3rd generation Asian Americans who were born and raised in America.

The Chinese Railroad Worker’s story tells us that Chinese Americans came to this country seeking opportunity, freedom, and the American dream, just like so many others from Europe, Latin America, Africa, and other parts of the world. All of them are part of the rich fabric of this country that makes us all American.

We enlarged the last nail Golden Spike which is displayed in the center; to me, the last nail Golden Spike does not only represent the completion of the magnificent Transcontinental Railroad, but also represents the everlasting contribution of Chinese Americans to the growth and development of this country.

The last nail Golden spike, which as a symbol nailed down the East & West railroad tracks and connected America’s East & West coastlines, also nailed down Chinese Americans as an integral part of this great nation, called the United States of America.

May God continue to unite our country as the Golden Spike unites the two great Oceans: The Pacific Ocean & the Atlantic Ocean.

Thank you.

【編者注】這是繼方李邦琴女士2015年創建首座“海外抗日戰爭紀念館”後，又一偉大創舉。