History of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
Asian Pacific American Heritage Month (APAHM) celebrates the contributions and culture of community members with Asian Pacific American (APA) heritage in the month of May. APAHM was established in 1990 when the United States Congress passed Public Law 102-405. May was selected to commemorate the first immigration of Japanese to the United States on May 7, 1843 and the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad, primarily built by Chinese immigrants, on May 10, 1869. Today, APAHM serves as a reflective and celebratory month where we pause to recognize the contributions of our local Asian Pacific American communities and those abroad while learning more about our American history and the history of our APA communities in their ancestral homeland and in the US. Our local APA communities include families that have lived in the US for generations, indigenous Pacific Islander groups living in US states and territories, and those that have come to the US as immigrants or refugees. The range of communities and cultures that APAHM covers is vast and ranges from those with ancestry from over 50 different countries such as Japan, China, Korea, India, Bhutan, Laos, Philippines, Vanuatu, Kiribati, and Tonga.
For more information about Asian Pacific Heritage Month visit: http://asianpacificheritage.gov
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