OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLA (KOKH) — As we approach the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence this July, we’re highlighting our American heritage.
And nothing exemplifies that more than our diversity.
Oklahoma was forever changed in the 51 years after the end of the Vietnam War. We’re serving up some hot breakfast, hanging out at Jimmy’s Egg with the owner Ban Nguyen.
He tells FOX 25 after more than half a century he’s more of an Okie from Muskogee, but that wasn’t always the case.
“My family was the first refugee to come to Oklahoma back in 1975 we just came to unknown land and tried to survive,” said Nguyen.
Nguyen told FOX 25 his story, which he details in his book “Swinging and Slinging”. Following his journey from being a tennis player at 13 years old in Vietnam, to starting a new life in Tulsa.
Partnering with his father-in-law in 1986, they grew Jimmy’s Egg from one restaurant to 20.
Nguyen says everyone has their story when they came to the U.S. “I just remember I cried a lot,” said Nguyen.
But Nguyen tells FOX 25 his father-in-law’s story is even more harrowing, describing him as one of the true boat people.
“Vietnam fell, he bought a boat and he got all his family about maybe 40 people in this small boat and he don’t know anything about boat by he’s still taking it out to sea. He just happen to run into this merchant ship and they were planning to give him some food only and gas to get them on them way but he said no no we will die so he grab hold of the anchor and I wont let go I will die so the captain agree and they let them up,” said Nguyen.
Stories like this one are honored in Military Park in the heart of OKC. And commemorated in monuments like the Brother’s in Arms statue.
“I was a refugee,” said Thuan Nguyen, President of the Vietnamese-American Heritage Community of Oklahoma.
Nguyen told FOX 25 his story leaving Vietnam after the fall of Saigon.
“I left Vietnam when I was four years old with my mom; my mom made a tough decision between my mom and my dad that my mom would be the one to carry us and should took the chance and she could bring one of three children because we only had enough money so when you flee you would have to pay these gold bars to get a place on a boat and a boat would be a boat of 50, 80 people smushed like sardines. We were lucky to be picked up after three days and four nights in the ocean by a us navy ship,” said Thuan Nguyen.
The boat people of Vietnam are now recognized in a new art installation called “we have arrived”, showing their journey and the success they’ve achieved in the 50 years since.
“You can visibly see the success in the community our Asian business owners bring in about $1.2 billion in sales tax revenue for our city,” said Thuan Nguyen.
“To survive and adapt to the situation and we thrive,” said Ban Nguyen.
Military Park is a great gathering place for many reasons, including one of the biggest events of the year, Asian Night Market Festival.
They’re already getting ready for it, with the event in its 8th year this October.
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