The month of May in the United States is designated as
Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and
Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AANHPI), 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, Native Hawaiians, 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. Native Hawaiians and
Pacific Islanders include Americans from the Philippines, Hawaii, Samoa, Guam, and other countries in the
Pacific basin.
There are approximately 25 million Asian/Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Americans in the United States. By population
size--Chinese, Filipino, Indian, Vietnamese, Korean, Japanese, and Hawaiian/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/Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Americans this month.
FOR MORE INFO
Chinese Historical & Cultural Project