Asian/Pacific American Heratage Month

By Lily Date, 2023

Published 5/5/22

May marks the beginning of Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month, a celebration of Asians and Pacific Islanders in the United States. The term Asian Pacific American refers to people from the continent of Asia and the Pacific islands of Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. This month-long holiday is meant as a time to celebrate their history and culture. Especially after COVID, it is also a time to speak out against violence and harmful myths.

Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month started in 1977 after Jeanie Jew brought Rep. Frank Horton the idea of introducing House Joint Resolution 540 to make the first ten days in May Pacific/Asian American Heritage Week. Jew was a member of the Organization of Chinese Americans and was inspired by the U.S. Bicentennial celebrations in 1976, as well as the death of her father. While this resolution was struck down, Rep. Horton introduced another resolution in 1987 that was passed to create “Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week,” lasting from May 4th to May 11th. In 1990, this was changed to a full month, and in 1992 it became an annual holiday. May was chosen to commemorate the immigration of the first Japanese to the United States on May 7, 1843, and to mark the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869, as the majority of the workers who laid the tracks were Chinese immigrants.

This year’s theme is Advancing Leaders Through Collaboration. Fahmida Chhipa, the Federal Asian Pacific American Council's vice president, said that “When you have diversity at the leadership table, the magnitude of what you can accomplish is enormous.” The council added that this year's theme "further highlights FAPAC's efforts in advancing leaders in the Federal and DC governments.”