Lesson Plan
- Grades 9-10,
- Grades 11-12
Who Killed Vincent Chin Lesson Plan : Civil Rights Activism for Vincent Chin
Overview
Who Killed Vincent Chin? is a landmark documentary film unveiling one of the most well-known hate crimes against Asian Americans, the failures of the American justice system, and the legacy of Asian American activism in their response to this travesty. From the police investigation, prosecution, to the sentencing judge, justice was not served for the brutal killing of Vincent Chin. Directed by Christine Choy and Renee Tajima-Peña in 1987, this film captures a national multiracial civil rights campaign led by Asian American activists. The crime happened in 1982 Detroit when Ronald Ebens, a Chrysler foreman, killed Vincent Chin, a young Chinese American engineering draftsman, with a baseball bat. Ebens’ step son Michael Nitz, a laid-off autoworker, held Vincent in a bear hug while Ebens brutally bludgeoned him to death. Although Ebens and Nitz pled guilty to manslaughter, they never spent a day in jail. This lesson provides a framework for critical analysis of a racially motivated killing, the American justice system, and activism through the Vincent Chin case.
Students will gain an understanding of the importance of the Vincent Chin case as it pertains to hate crime laws, the American justice system, and Asian American civil rights activism. They will first enter the lesson by considering what they know about hate crimes through a journal prompt and discussion. Next, they will learn about federal hate crime laws enforced by the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice from a reading. Then students will apply this knowledge to the Vincent Chin case by examining evidence from the film clips to prove that the killers committed a hate crime. Through a “chalk talk” activity students will respond to one another’s analysis and opinions about the case. Next, students will examine a quote made by Judge Kaufman explaining why he decided to sentence the killers Ronald Ebens and Michael Nitz to no jail time. Finally, they will write a support statement speech as if they were going to participate in the Justice for Vincent Chin demonstration by using all the information they analyzed in the film clips and activities.
Sensitive: This resource contains material that may be sensitive for some students. Teachers should exercise discretion in evaluating whether this resource is suitable for their class.
Who Killed Vincent Chin? is a landmark documentary film unveiling one of the most well-known hate crimes against Asian Americans, the failures of the American justice system, and the legacy of Asian American activism in their response to this travesty. From the police investigation, prosecution, to the sentencing judge, justice was not served for the brutal killing of Vincent Chin. Directed by Christine Choy and Renee Tajima-Peña in 1987, this film captures a national multiracial civil rights campaign led by Asian American activists. The crime happened in 1982 Detroit when Ronald Ebens, a Chrysler foreman, killed Vincent Chin, a young Chinese American engineering draftsman, with a baseball bat. Ebens’ step son Michael Nitz, a laid-off autoworker, held Vincent in a bear hug while Ebens brutally bludgeoned him to death. Although Ebens and Nitz pled guilty to manslaughter, they never spent a day in jail. This lesson provides a framework for critical analysis of a racially motivated killing, the American justice system, and activism through the Vincent Chin case.
Students will gain an understanding of the importance of the Vincent Chin case as it pertains to hate crime laws, the American justice system, and Asian American civil rights activism. They will first enter the lesson by considering what they know about hate crimes through a journal prompt and discussion. Next, they will learn about federal hate crime laws enforced by the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice from a reading. Then students will apply this knowledge to the Vincent Chin case by examining evidence from the film clips to prove that the killers committed a hate crime. Through a “chalk talk” activity students will respond to one another’s analysis and opinions about the case. Next, students will examine a quote made by Judge Kaufman explaining why he decided to sentence the killers Ronald Ebens and Michael Nitz to no jail time. Finally, they will write a support statement speech as if they were going to participate in the Justice for Vincent Chin demonstration by using all the information they analyzed in the film clips and activities.
Sensitive: This resource contains material that may be sensitive for some students. Teachers should exercise discretion in evaluating whether this resource is suitable for their class.