The Freedom Boat at the History Center
July 30, 2007

Contact: Mike Bell
(405) 522-0789
or Michael Dean
(405) 522-5241

Oklahoma City, OK
March 9, 2007
For Immediate Release

On Monday, July 30th, 2007, the Oklahoma History Center will host the Vietnamese "Freedom Boat." The boat is one of two boats that arrived in the Philippines in 1981 after having escaped from Vietnam. Approximately 65 people, including women and children, made the journey, barely surviving. The boat was dedicated by government of the Philippines as a memorial for people who managed to escape at the end of the Vietnam War. The boat will be at the History Center from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.

Brief History of the Freedom Boat

After the fall of Saigon in April 1975, millions of Vietnamese fled the Communist of Vietnam by boats seeking freedom abroad. Among those, two boats carrying 65 people, including children, nearly died of starvation and dehydration, reached the shore of the Philippines in 1981. Mr. Fernado Marcos, then President of that country, allowed the boats to bre displayed at the Freedom Plaza in the capital of the Philippines.

In February 2000, following the request of Mrs. Madalenna Lai, President of the Vietnamese Cultural House in California, the Government of the Philippines dedicated the small boat, named "The Freedom Boat" to that organization.

Since then, Mrs. Lai has exhibited the Freedom Boat in 30 states. The rest of the 20 states exhibitions will be completed by the end of this year, including Oklahoma, which will be held:

• at the Cao Nguyen Super Market, sponsoring the event, on 28-29 of July 2007
• at the Oklahoma History Center on 30th of July 2007