Chinese Memorial Day At Belleville Cemetery Draws Visitors

BELLEVILLE, NJ — The following news release comes courtesy of a Patch Belleville-Nutley community member. Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site.

The traditional Chinese memorial day known as “Qing Ming” was observed by scores of visitors at the Belleville Reformed Church Cemetery on Saturday, April 9.

In 1870, Belleville became home to the first successful Chinese community on the east coast of the United States. Many of these immigrants became members of the Belleville Reformed Church and Christ Episcopal Church and are buried here. America in the 19th century was a time of severe discrimination of Chinese immigrants, but they found a welcoming home in Belleville.

The event was sponsored by the Belleville Historical Society and the United Chinese-American Association of New Jersey (UCAANJ). Speakers included church pastor Lillian Ortiz of La Senda Antigua, Margaret Lam, president of UCAANJ, former Englewood Cliffs Town Council president Bill Woo, Belleville council members Steven Rovell and Vincent Cozzaelli, and Belleville Historical Society president Michael Perrone.

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