Martial arts icon Bruce Lee will become the first Chinese American in California history to be honored with an annual commemorative day recognizing his cultural legacy.
Governor Gavin Newsom signed the bill into law on Tuesday afternoon, officially designating May 17 as Bruce Lee Day, according to the office of state Assemblymember Matt Haney, who represents San Francisco.
Lee’s daughter, Shannon Lee, chief executive of the Bruce Lee Foundation, said in a statement that the recognition stands as a testament to her father’s lasting legacy as a cultural bridge.
She said Lee’s influence remains deeply relevant today, from young people who draw confidence from his philosophy to families who saw themselves represented on screen, and athletes who find strength in his teachings on self-discipline.
The foundation and Asian American groups hope Bruce Lee Day will be marked each year through voluntary activities such as cultural exhibitions, public events and classroom lessons.
Haney praised Lee as the “epitome of the best of California,” saying that at a time when Asian Americans were often absent from screens or reduced to stereotypes, Lee helped generations see themselves portrayed with strength and dignity.
Born in San Francisco in 1940, Lee was a United States citizen by birth, as his family was touring the country with a Cantonese opera troupe at the time.
His family returned to Hong Kong a few months later, where Lee became a child actor and began formal martial arts training.
He returned to the United States in 1959 and enrolled at the University of Washington two years later, majoring in drama with minors in philosophy and psychology. He later left his studies to focus fully on teaching martial arts.
During the 1960s, Lee pursued a career in Hollywood and became best known for playing Kato in the television series The Green Hornet. At the time, studios often cast him in racially stereotyped roles and paid him far less than his white co-stars.
Lee later returned to Hong Kong, where he achieved global superstardom with hits including The Big Boss and Fist of Fury.
He died in Hong Kong on July 20, 1973, at the age of 32.
