TheHistoryofAsianAmericanand PacificIslanderHeritageMonth

By Joyce Liu

When most people think of May, they may think about the blooming of flowers and spring, or holidays like Mother’s Day and Memorial Day. However, for the Asian American and Pacific Islander community, May means something entirely different. May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. Many festivities are held during this month, including cultural festivals and concerts. Moreover, this is a time for many to learn more about the rich history and culture that AAPI month celebrates. Beyond the appreciation of these communities’ cultures, it is important to learn about and acknowledge the hardships they have faced.

There is a long history of mistreatment and discrimination against Asian and Pacific Islander Americans in America. Chinese laborers began the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad in 1863, working almost entirely by hand. Over the course of six years, they helped complete the railroad. After completion, due to a number of Chinese immigrants looking for jobs, the Chinese Exclusion Act was passed in 1882 It banned Chinese immigration to America until 1943.

Additionally, over 120,000 Japanese Americans were forced into internment camps during World War II, solely on the basis of their ethnicity. These camps were overcrowded, had poor sanitation, had limited food and resources, and internees were confined to the camp and prohibited from leaving.

Eventually, Jeanie Jew, a former Capitol Hill staffer, approached Frank Horton, the New York Congressman at the time, about her idea. In 1978, Congress passed a bill that declared the first ten days of May "Asian Pacific Heritage Week," chosen due to the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants in the US on May 7, 1843, and the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad on May 10, 1869. This commemorative week was later expanded into a commemorative month in 1990 after President George H.W. Bush signed the new bill into law. However, the proclamation needed to be reauthorized every year. Finally, in 1992, a new law was passed that permanently designated May as AAPI month.

Combined with the history behind the month, AAPI Heritage month aims to celebrate and commemorate the achievements, lasting legacies, and impacts of Asian Americans in the US. Unfortunately, Asian-Pacific American hate crimes have stayed prevalent, and in recent years, have even increased. Although it is important to take time to celebrate AAPI culture, it is also important to spend time learning about the history of American-Pacific Americans, and the discrimination that is still faced today. After all, only once people educate themselves, can they change their views. This AAPI month, encourage friends and family to educate themselves as well as celebrate. Happy AAPI month!