San Jose ‘Black April’ observance remembers fall of Saigon through stories, volunteering

DRESSED IN BLACK áo dài dresses and Vietnamese heritage flag accessories, more than 200 people gathered at San Jose City Hall Saturday to commemorate the anniversary of the fall of Saigon.

Known among the Vietnamese community as “Black April,” the ceremony is a somber reminder of the more than 2 million people who died during and after the Vietnam War that persisted for roughly two decades. The war ended on April 30, 1975 when the last U.S. troops left Saigon.