Los Angeles: A museum commemorating China's violent crackdown on pro-democracy protests in 1989 opened Monday in Los Angeles, according to museum director Wang Dan. "Commemorating June 4th is not just about mourning and denunciation, it's also a continuation," Wang said. "The spirit of '89 is about holding on to hope for social change."
According to Focus Taiwan, the June 4th Memorial Museum marks the day China's People's Liberation Army opened fire on unarmed protesters in central Beijing. The museum was originally based in New York but was relocated to Los Angeles due to rising rents, Wang explained. The director noted that the move would help bring this part of Chinese history to people from China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong living in the area.
Wang, a former student leader during the movement, was arrested by the Chinese government and imprisoned before moving overseas and earning a doctorate from Harvard University. In an interview with CNA, Wang expressed concerns about the younger generation's "disappointment and despair" about their country. He hopes to inspire renewed hope for change through the spirit of the 1989 movement.
The June 4th Memorial Museum is located in El Monte, a city in eastern Los Angeles County. It displays objects and photographs from that time, including an exhibit featuring a letter written to Wang by Liu Xiaobo, a Chinese scholar and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, while Wang was imprisoned at age 21.
Wang emphasized that the museum will not be a static space but a "vibrant cultural space," hosting concerts, lectures, film screenings, and community events to promote cultural and intellectual exchange. The museum also plans to invite local American high schools to visit and learn about China and the events of 1989.