Asian Pacific American Heritage Month (thru May 31)

The month of May in the United States is designated as Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, also known as Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. The time is set aside to recognize the contributions and influence of Asian Americans and Pacific Islander Americans to the culture and achievement of our nation. May was officially selected by Congress in 1992 to honor the first Japanese immigration to the United States on May 7, 1843. The month of May was also chosen to pay tribute to Chinese immigrants who worked to complete the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869.

The term Asian Americans refer to Americans of Asian ancestry and a pan-ethnic group that includes diverse populations that have ancestral origins in East Asia, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. Pacific Islanders include Americans from the Philippines, Hawaii, Samoa, Guam, and other countries in the Pacific basin.

There are approximately 22 million Asian/Pacific Islander Americans in the United States. By population size--Chinese, Filipino, Indian, Vietnamese, Korean, Japanese, and Pacific Islanders.

Many educational presentations will be presented by PBS and other major and minor media outlets. Celebratory events are held by schools, universities, and other organizations.

We hope you will celebrate often and learn much about the Asian/Pacific Islander Americans this month.