A resolution introduced in the New York State Assembly by Assemblyman William Colton (D—Gravesend, Bensonhurst, Bath Beach and Dyker Heights) has made history as the first legislative recognition by a state of the important legacy of the Chinese American railroad workers who helped build the Transcontinental Railroad in the mid-19^th century.

The workers, who faced difficult and sometimes deadly conditions as they strove to link the east and west coasts of the continent, as well as ongoing prejudice, had nearly been forgotten in the annals of history till a little more than a decade ago, and Assemblyman Colton wants to make sure that they are always remembered for their contribution to American greatness.

On May 14, Assemblyman Colton welcomed a group of the workers’ descendants, many of whom still live in Brooklyn, to the Capitol, where the achievements of their forebears were celebrated on Chinese American Railroad Workers Day.

“Recognition of these courageous workers, who contributed mightily to the achievement of the American Dream, is long overdue,” said Assemblyman Colton. “They labored in difficult, often unsafe conditions and many perished, yet, sadly, their important part in the American story was not recognized until just a few years ago. Thanks in large part to their dedication, the Transcontinental Railroad became a reality, and with it, much of the economic growth that propelled America forward was made possible. Yet, even at the final ceremony when the railroad’s completion was celebrated, they were not allowed to participate. Nonetheless, they were not done. Many of them moved to New York and went to work on the Long Island Railroad, helping to build an important link for our own community.”

According to the United States Department of Labor (DOL), which includes Chinese Railroad Workers in its online Hall of Fame, Chinese immigrants worked on the construction of the western stretch of the Transcontinental Railroad between 1865 and 1869, despite the difficult working conditions and in the face of discrimination.

As many as 20,000 Chinese laborers toiled in the effort, according to Stanford University, which initiated the Chinese Railroad Workers in North America Project in 2012, in recognition of the realization that those who worked on the railroad had basically been ignored by history.

Assemblyman Colton’s effort was supported by the Assembly’s Asian Pacific American Task Force, which coordinated an exhibit tracing the workers’ history. This year is the 156th anniversary of the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad.