In California, May 17 Is Now Bruce Lee Day

Martial arts icon and actor Bruce Lee, who was born in San Francisco, will become the first Chinese American in California history with an annual namesake day. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law Tuesday officially designating May 17 as Bruce Lee Day, the AP reports. Born in 1940 to Chinese parents who were touring with an opera, Lee was allowed to have birthright citizenship. "Bruce Lee represents the very best of California: innovation, diversity, determination, and the courage to challenge convention," said state Assembly member Matt Haney, per Bay City News.

An 18-year-old Lee returned to San Francisco on May 17, 1959, after spending his childhood in Hong Kong. Lee's daughter, Shannon, who is CEO of the Bruce Lee Foundation, said the honor is a testament to her father's enduring legacy as a bridge between cultures. "From young people who found confidence and possibility in his philosophy, to families who finally saw themselves represented on screen, to athletes who still draw on his teachings of discipline and inner strength, his reach is profound," Shannon Lee said in a statement.