New center to remember Chinese railroad workers

Many people may not know about the Chinese workers who helped build the first transcontinental railroad in the United States, but that is set to change with a new center that opened on Wednesday in San Francisco to help share and expand knowledge about this important part of the country's history.

The Chinese Railroad Workers History Center, near the southern entrance of San Francisco's Chinatown, is expected to serve as a "multifunctional gathering place" for people to learn about Chinese American heritage in the US, according to the founder, Florence Fang, a Chinese community leader in the Bay Area.

"The center's purpose is to remember the Chinese railroad workers' contribution to this country; the goal is to give voice to the voiceless, and the spirit is to remember the past and inspire the future," said Fang.