Starred Review ALA Booklist (Mon Mar 01 00:00:00 CST 2021)

Starred Review On June 19, 1982, Chinese American Victor Chin was murdered near Detroit, Michigan, when a drunken fist fight became a brutal beating with a baseball bat. There was no question as to who was responsible: Ronald Ebens white, Chrysler plant supervisor d his grown stepson, Michael Nitz. The shock, apart from Chin's death itself, came when Ebens and Nitz were charged with manslaughter rather than murder, receiving no jailtime for their crime. Outrage swept the Asian American community. Yoo dives into this story, giving important historical context to the anti-Asian sentiments of the time while anchoring it in the experiences of those closest to Chin, most notably his mother, Lily. Yet, for all the personal touches, Yoo remains admirably objective in how she relays the various court cases that arose from Chin's murder, as well as their outcomes. She does not sanitize nor play up the story's more salacious details strip club, drinking, swearing, violence d these things never overshadow the real issue on trial: Was Victor Chin's murder a hate crime? Chin's death united the Asian American community to stand against racism and fight for civil rights in unprecedented ways. In a compelling afterword, Yoo discusses the resurgence of anti-Asian attitudes and rhetoric in connection to COVID-19, reinforcing the book's through line that Chin mustn't be forgotten. Supported by robust source notes, news clippings, and photos.

Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews (Mon Mar 01 00:00:00 CST 2021)

An account of the 1982 killing of Vincent Chin and its subsequent impact on Asian Americans' civil rights struggles.Ronald Ebens, the Detroit auto worker who beat Chin to death with a baseball bat, brought a devastating end to Chin's short but promising life. Adopted from a Guangdong orphanage by Chinese immigrant parents at age 6, 27-year-old Chin was mourning his father's recent death but eagerly anticipating his upcoming wedding. Ebens and his stepson, Michael Nitz, were two White men living in a city reeling economically due to competition from Japanese car imports. The question of whether this was merely a drunken fight that got out of hand or a racially motivated hate crime was hotly debated after the two men were sentenced only to probation and a small fine for manslaughter. Despite two federal grand jury trials, neither served any time, but the case marked a turning point for Asian American unity and identity and was critical to progress around documentation of hate crimes and manslaughter sentencing reform in Michigan. This clear and lucid account, based on in-depth research, superlatively conveys the context and significance of the events. The conflicting accounts and explanations are presented evenhandedly, offering readers the opportunity to weigh the evidence and draw their own conclusions. A timely afterword discusses anti-Asian racist rhetoric and violence during the Covid-19 pandemic.An accessible and compelling account of a tragedy that resonates through the decades. (timeline, notes, sources, picture credits, index) (Nonfiction. 13-18)

School Library Journal Starred Review (Sat May 01 00:00:00 CDT 2021)

Gr 8 Up-This narrative nonfiction title chronicles the brutal 1982 murder of Vincent Chin, which led to the first federal civil rights case involving an Asian American. While celebrating his bachelor party at a Detroit nightclub, Chin, who was Chinese American, became involved in a fight with two white autoworkers, Ronald Ebens and his stepson Michael Nitz. The two men later cornered Chin at a McDonald's and beat him to death with a baseball bat. Ebens and Nitz received a reduced charge of manslaughter and were sentenced to a mere three years probation and a $3,000 fine. The Asian American community was outraged at this unjust punishment, perceived to be a manifestation of anti-Asian racism fueled by anger directed at the Japanese car industry. Readers will be riveted by the first-person accounts from multiple points of view, including Chin's family and friends, lawyers, defendants, and eyewitnesses. In fact, the book reads almost like a TV crime drama, utilizing flashbacks and culminating in a series of chapters depicting each key witness's testimony. The book includes black-and-white primary photos and newspaper articles as well as a time line, extensive endnotes, and a list of archive sources. As the author reflects in her afterward, Chin's story is an important parallel to today's societal strife mirrored in the rise in racism and violence against Asian Americans who have been unfairly blamed for the COVID-19 pandemic. VERDICT Highly recommended for readers interested in social justice nonfiction such as Chris Crowe's Getting Away with Murder and Bryan Stevenson's Just Mercy . Maile Steimer, Jones M.S., Buford, GA

Horn Book (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Who was Vincent Chin? The brutal 1982 killing of the young Chinese American in Detroit by two white men occurred during the U.S.-Japan auto trade wars, a time when anti-Asian hate ran high. Outrage over the killers' sentencing -- a $3,000 fine and probation -- mobilized Asian Americans into protesting. The subsequent 1984 federal civil rights trial sparked reforms in victims' rights and hate-crime reporting. In this extensively researched account -- based on news articles (many reproduced here), court records, documentary films, and her own interviews -- Yoo skillfully retells the life story of Vincent Chin, an engineering draftsman who was about to get married; his mother, Lily Chin; and everyone else involved, including the killers, witnesses, police, attorneys, judges, family friends, and community members. Yoo reconstructs the night of June 19th when Chin and his friends went to a strip club for his bachelor party and got into a fight with autoworker Ronald Ebens and his stepson, Michael Nitz, ending with Chin's fatal beating outside a McDonald's restaurant. The narrative follows the aftermath, from the federal trial up to the present day, with updates on the lives of Ebens and others. An afterword observes how anti-Asian discrimination and violence in America continue today with COVID-19-related attacks and racial profiling, but Yoo reminds readers of Chin's legacy "to fight back against hate." Back matter includes a detailed timeline, meticulous source notes, and an index (unseen). Michelle Lee

Kirkus Reviews (Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

An account of the 1982 killing of Vincent Chin and its subsequent impact on Asian Americans' civil rights struggles.Ronald Ebens, the Detroit auto worker who beat Chin to death with a baseball bat, brought a devastating end to Chin's short but promising life. Adopted from a Guangdong orphanage by Chinese immigrant parents at age 6, 27-year-old Chin was mourning his father's recent death but eagerly anticipating his upcoming wedding. Ebens and his stepson, Michael Nitz, were two White men living in a city reeling economically due to competition from Japanese car imports. The question of whether this was merely a drunken fight that got out of hand or a racially motivated hate crime was hotly debated after the two men were sentenced only to probation and a small fine for manslaughter. Despite two federal grand jury trials, neither served any time, but the case marked a turning point for Asian American unity and identity and was critical to progress around documentation of hate crimes and manslaughter sentencing reform in Michigan. This clear and lucid account, based on in-depth research, superlatively conveys the context and significance of the events. The conflicting accounts and explanations are presented evenhandedly, offering readers the opportunity to weigh the evidence and draw their own conclusions. A timely afterword discusses anti-Asian racist rhetoric and violence during the Covid-19 pandemic.An accessible and compelling account of a tragedy that resonates through the decades. (timeline, notes, sources, picture credits, index) (Nonfiction. 13-18)