Calkins: 50 years ago, Vietnamese immigrants arrived in Midtown. A new festival celebrates what they did — and what might be.
From left, sisters Kristina Thuan Pham, Karina Thao Pham and Monica Truang Pham pose sit at Bao Toan, Karina Thao Pham’s restaurant. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian)
Geoff Calkins
Geoff Calkins has been chronicling Memphis and Memphis sports for more than two decades. Calkins has been named the best sports columnist in the country five times by the Associated Press sports editors, but still figures his best columns are about the people who make Memphis what it is.
She remembers crying.
“Lots of people crying,” said Karina Pham. “We were packed in the bottom of the boat.”
In April of 1975, North Vietnamese forces captured Saigon. Hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese people fled, the vast majority by boat.
This is an excerpt of this story. To read more, please click here and subscribe.
Topics
Mekong Memphis Todd Richardson Crosstown Concourse Karina Pham Subscriber OnlyThank you for reading The Daily Memphian. Your support is critical.
Did you know we are a 501(c)3 nonprofit news organization? We rely on a mix of revenue from subscriptions (50%), advertising, events and other earned income (25%) and fundraising (25%).
Please consider making a fully tax-deductible donation or other contribution to The Daily Memphian today.
👉🏽 Your subscription pays for you to read all our journalism.
👉🏽 Your donation powers the work we do to reach everyone else with the news.
We believe an informed Memphis is a better Memphis. If you agree, join our growing list of donors now.
Geoff Calkins on demand
Never miss an article. Sign up to receive Geoff Calkins' stories as they’re published.
Enter your e-mail address
Related stories
Pink Palace bicentennial exhibit follows Memphis history, defines its identity
A new exhibit on the city's bicentennial combines some elements of the city's history in a display that is also about what is means to be a Memphian. The exhibit at the Memphis Pink Palace Museum runs through October.
Crosstown losing Wolf River Brisket, gains new upscale Asian dining
Crosstown Concourse announced in a release on Monday, May 20, that a new restaurant highlighting Vietnamese culture and cuisine will take over the Wolf River Brisket space, which concluded its operations on Sunday, May 19.
Annual Mid-Autumn Festival celebrates Vietnamese culture
The Mid-Autumn Festival expands into a month-long series this October.
Comments
Want to comment on our stories? If you’re a subscriber, scroll down to the comments. If you’re not a subscriber, only paid subscribers can add their thoughts, so subscribe now. Our commenting policy can be viewed here.