SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The city of San Jose was once home to one of the largest Chinatowns in California.

In the heart of downtown, it was the center of life for Chinese immigrants who worked in farms and orchards. But arsonists burned it to the ground in 1887.

More than a century later, the San Jose City Council has approved a resolution apologizing to Chinese immigrants and their descendants for the city's role in “systemic and institutional racism, xenophobia, and discrimination.”

The apology comes amid a wave of attacks against the Asian community since the pandemic began last year.

Historian Connie Young Yu says the San José resolution goes beyond an apology and takes responsibility.