Chinatown '75 Walking Tour

CHINATOWN ‘75 is an interactive walking tour that tells the story of the police brutality case that rocked Chinatown and the protest movement that arose in its wake. In May of 1975, 25,000 protesters marched from Chinatown to City Hall to demand justice for the beating of Peter Yew. CHINATOWN ‘75 traces the route of the original march in commemoration of its 50th anniversary.

Based on archival research and oral histories with march participants, CHINATOWN ‘75 uses the Peter Yew protests to paint an in-depth portrait of a transformative moment in Chinatown’s history. We’ll explore how the interactions between radical social movements, community organizations, and the NYPD shaped the ensuing demonstrations, and how the iconic photographs of the march came to symbolize a generation of Asian American activism.

Tours will be led by Dr. Michael Menor Salgarolo, a New York City-based historian, walking tour guide, retired stand-up comedian, and founder of UNASSIMILATED Walking Tours. He holds a PhD in History from New York University, where he teaches courses in Asian/Pacific/American Studies in the Department of Social & Cultural Analysis.

This walk is presented by UNASSIMILATED Walking Tours and Think!Chinatown, as part of the 2025 Chinatown Storytelling Festival. All proceeds from ticket sales will go to Think!Chinatown.