Origins of APA Heritage Month
A national celebration established in 1977
by Ricco Villanueva Siasoco
May is Asian Pacific American (APA) Heritage Month—a celebration of Asians and Pacific Islanders in the United States. Much like Black History and Women's History celebrations, APA Heritage Month originated in a congressional bill.
Congressional Bills Establish Celebration
In June 1977, Representatives Frank Horton of New York and Norman Y. Mineta of California introduced a House resolution that called upon the president to proclaim the first ten days of May as Asian/Pacific Heritage Week. The following month, senators Daniel Inouye and Spark Matsunaga introduced a similar bill in the Senate. Both were passed.
On October 5, 1978, President Jimmy Carter signed a Joint Resolution designating the annual celebration.
APA Becomes Month-long Celebration
In May 1990, the holiday was expanded further when President George H. W. Bush designated May to be Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. 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. The majority of the workers who laid the tracks were Chinese immigrants.
Asian Pacific American Heritage Month is celebrated with community festivals, government-sponsored activities, and educational activities for students. This year's theme is "Lighting the Past, Present, and Future."http://www.infoplease.com/spot/asianhistory1.html
East Asia
China
Japan
Korea
Mongolia
Tibet
Pacific Region
Fiji
Hawaii
Papua New Guinea
Polynesia
South Asia
Bangladesh
India
Nepal
Sri Lanka
Southeast Asia
Cambodia
Indonesia
Laos
Malaysia
Myanmar
Philippines
Singapore
Thailand
Vietnam
- Re: Asian Pacific Heritage Monthposted on 05/05/2009
曾经看过一个纪录片,最早移民到北美的华裔禁止亲属来访,许多夫妻自此就只再见过一两面,更不要说修铁路又死了多少华人。相比黑人来说,华裔太能忍耐了,几乎没听说有什么反抗运动。
- Re: Asian Pacific Heritage Monthposted on 05/05/2009
我当年的教授说,中国城在七八年以前,几乎是光棍城,美其名为和
尚城。诚然,我知道的不少广东同事举家、举村都是七八年后移民来
的,妻小在国内整得够惨,对美国还是感恩戴德。
巴黎雪 wrote:
曾经看过一个纪录片,最早移民到北美的华裔禁止亲属来访,许多夫妻自此就只再见过一两面,更不要说修铁路又死了多少华人。相比黑人来说,华裔太能忍耐了,几乎没听说有什么反抗运动。
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