Celebration of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Culture Expands in a 50-Year Span

Celebration of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Culture Expands in a 50-Year Span

Let's Get Real about Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

It's been almost half a century since the U.S. government decided it's high time to acknowledge and celebrate Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) and their remarkable contributions. What started as a single week in May has morphed into a monthly extravaganza, spreading across cities both big and small.

Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month isn't just about parading colorful costumes or sampling exotic food; it's a chance to delve deeper into subjects like sorrow and social justice. The rise of anti-AAPI hate crimes during the pandemic only intensified this push.

"The increase in participation of organizations in AAPI Heritage Month activities is a clear indication of the growing voice of AAPI communities in public life," said Karen Umemoto, director of the UCLA Asian American Studies Center. "It shows that we're slowly carving out spaces to tell our stories and share our experiences."

You won't catch AAPI Heritage Month celebrations confined just to ethnic enclaves or culturally specific venues. From public libraries and parks to museums, events are planned all over the country, either highlighting a particular Asian culture or showcasing a myriad of them.

This year, the festivities are taking place under the shadow of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives being curbed by the current administration. The president's anti-DEI executive orders appear to have triggered the accidental removal of Defense Department website content honoring Japanese American service members (which was later restored)[1]. During Black History Month, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy declared his department would no longer participate in "identity-based observances."

On a brighter note, the White House did host a well-attended Black History Month celebration attended by the president. There's been no word on the plans for an AAPI Heritage Month celebration yet[1].

The Origins of AAPI Heritage Month

Many credit the observance's birth to Jeanie Jew, a co-founder of the Congressional Asian-Pacific staff Caucus. In 1977, she shared a touching story about her grandfather, who had helped build the transcontinental railroad but met a tragic end amid anti-Asian unrest with New York Republican Rep. Frank Horton.

Jew believed that to appreciate their heritage, Asians needed to be proud of their history, and "Americans must know about the contributions and histories of the Asian-Pacific American experience," Horton said in 1992, according to congressional archives. At that point, Black History Month and Hispanic Heritage Month had already been established. However, Asian Americans were the fastest growing racial group.

Horton and California Democratic Rep. Norm Mineta proposed President Jimmy Carter issue a proclamation declaring the first week of May as Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week. Hawaii Senators Daniel Inouye and Spark Matsunaga, both Democrats, proposed a similar bill in the Senate. Carter signed a joint resolution establishing the celebration in 1978[1][4].

The Significance of Choosing May

May was chosen for a reason: it marks two significant events in Asian American history. The first Japanese immigrants arrived on U.S. soil on May 7, 1843, and on May 19, 1869, the final spike for the transcontinental railroad track, largely constructed by Chinese laborers, was embedded[1][4].

Umemoto remembers hearing whispers of Asian Pacific Heritage Week during her college years. It wasn't something mainstream then. "It was more of a kind of cultural celebration in the early days," she said. "And so a lot of student groups did programming around different histories, cultural traditions, and issues in the community."

In 1990, President George H.W. Bush expanded the designation from a week to the entire month. In 2009, President Barack Obama changed the name to Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. President Joe Biden's administration refers to it as Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month[2].

In his first term, Trump issued proclamations in celebration of the month. In 2020, a proclamation issued by the Trump White House read, "This month, we recognize the more than 20 million Americans of Asian and Pacific Islander descent who make irreplaceable contributions to our Nation's economy, security, and culture."

The Growing Importance of AAPI Heritage Month

AAPI advocacy groups have long used the month as a platform to bring resources to underserved communities and educate the public. However, the combined impact of COVID-19 and the surging attacks on Asian Americans has given a new urgency to the heritage month's purpose[3].

Amber Reed from Montclair, New Jersey, never gave much thought to AAPI Heritage Month before the Atlanta spa shootings in March 2021, which left eight dead, including six Asian women. "That tragedy jolted me out of thinking that my family could be safe and that we could muddle through without reckoning with the vicious currents of racism in our culture," Reed admitted.

In response, Reed and over 50 others started the non-profit AAPI New Jersey – originally AAPI Montclair. They will be hosting a Lantern Festival for Justice and Unity for the fifth year. This Chinese custom honors victims of hate or injustice[3].

A Glimpse into AAPI Heritage Month Celebrations

The variety of topics and cultures celebrated during AAPI Heritage Month is astounding. This month will see events like the Asian Comedy Fest in New York City, and Wisconsin will celebrate May 14 as Hmong-Lao Veterans Day, which was signed into law in 2021[1]. Thousands of Hmong-Lao soldiers fought alongside U.S. forces during the Vietnam War, and many Hmong and Laotian families resettled in Wisconsin[4].

According to Umemoto, these heritage month celebrations are instrumental in breaking down stereotypes and highlighting the diversity within the AAPI community. "There are over 70 different ethnic and national groups and over 100 languages spoken within these communities," she said. "And they're very different[4]."

Sources:1. APA Heritage Month: Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week2. AAPI Heritage Month: Statement by President Joe Biden - The White House3. Asian American hate crimes rise during pandemic - USA Today4. About Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month - The White House

[Knowledge Enrichment Data]

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month began as Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week, signed into law by President Jimmy Carter in 1978. The week-long observance was established to commemorate significant events in Asian American history, notably the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants on May 7, 1843, and the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869, which was mainly built by Chinese laborers. In 1990, President George H.W. Bush expanded the celebration from a week to a full month. Over time, the name of the observance evolved to include more specific recognition of Pacific Islanders. In 2009, President Barack Obama officially changed the name to the Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month to reflect the contributions of Pacific Islanders as well. In 2021, a presidential proclamation further emphasized the inclusion of Native Hawaiians. Today, AAPI Heritage Month is celebrated annually in May to honor the diverse cultures and achievements of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders.

1. The rise in participation of organizations in AAPI Heritage Month activities indicates the growing voice of AAPI communities in public life.
2. Anti-AAPI hate crimes during the pandemic have intensified the push for exploring issues like social justice during AAPI Heritage Month.
3. Events during AAPI Heritage Month are planned in various locations across the country, highlighting a particular Asian culture or showcasing a myriad of them.
4. Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives being curbed by the current administration could cast a shadow over this year's AAPI Heritage Month festivities.
5. AAPI advocacy groups have long used AAPI Heritage Month as a platform to bring resources to underserved communities and educate the public.
6. Stereotypes and the diversity within the AAPI community are broken down through AAPI Heritage Month celebrations.
7. AAPI Heritage Month events in May this year will include the Asian Comedy Fest in New York City and Wisconsin's celebration of Hmong-Lao Veterans Day on May 14.

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