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The designation of May as Asian Pacific American Heritage Month in the United States is owed to the work of two congressional staffers, Jeanie F. Jew and Ruby Moy, and New York Congressman Frank Horton. Jew first introduced the idea to Horton in the mid-1970s after presidential decrees enacted Black History Month (1976) and Hispanic Heritage Week (1968). Jew and Ruby Moy, Horton's chief of staff, spearheaded the efforts to gain support for a proclamation in 1978. It wasn't until 1992 that Horton was able to introduce legislation to permanently designate May as Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.
May was chosen to commemorate two events: the arrival of the first known Japanese immigrant in May 1843 and the completion of the transcontinental railway in May 1869, a feat that would not have been realized without Chinese workers.
Learn more about the deep, rich, and varied communities, histories, and contributions of Asians in the United States in the PBS and WETA five-part documentary series, Asian Americans, premiering May 11 and 12, 2020. Led by a team of Asian American filmmakers, the series examines the significant role of Asian Americans in shaping American history and identity, from the first wave of Asian immigrants in the 1850s and identity politics during the social and cultural turmoil of the 20th Century to modern refugee crises in a globally connected world.
In the U.S., and other majority-white countries, we're experiencing an increase in anti-Asian discrimination and harassment. Learn more about and how to intervene in coronavirus-related racism and xenophobia:
Code Switch: When xenophobia spreads like a virus
APALA: What's your normal? Your stories during COVID-19
APALA, AFL-CIO: Protecting Asian American and Pacific Islander working people
Asian Pacific Policy & Planning Council: Stop AAPI Hate Incident Report Forms
The Armacost Library has a wealth of resources to learn more about our shared American experiences.
Kanopy's curated collection of streaming documentaries and film for Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
Ebooks available in Armacost Library's collections.
Find recommended reads for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month from your local library, and connect to their ebook collections. Some selections from:
Berkeley Public Library
Los Angeles Public Library
San Francisco Public Library
References:
Moon, K. (2019, May 23). How one woman's story led to the creation of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. Time. https://time.com/5592591/asian-pacific-heritage-month-history/
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