What is AAPI month?
AAPI month occurs throughout May and stands for Asian American and Pacific Islander Month. Established to recognize contributing Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, many AAPI individuals have greatly positively impacted society, culture, and history, with that comes the importance of celebrating and paying tribute.
History and Origin?
Congress initially denied the proposal of AAPI heritage recognition in 1977, starting as a joint resolution from Frank Horton (NY), with 10 days at the start of May to recognize Asian/Pacific Americans, and another joint resolution introduced by Daniel Inouye (Senator). The first week of May was designated AAPI Heritage Week a year later, on October 5th, after President Jimmy Carter signed a joint resolution proposed by Daniel Inouye. In 1992, AAPI week was expanded to the entirety of May, following annual presidential proclamations of AAPI week since 1978, with the signing of a bill passed by Congress to George H. W. Bush.
The month of May was selected for AAPI, as the first Japanese person immigrated in this month (May 7, 1843), and to recognize the anniversary of the Transcontinental Railroads’ Completion (May 10, 1869), built primarily by Chinese Immigrants.
Influential AAPI figures…
The importance of recognizing AAPI figures comes down to the importance of unity and representation of influential individuals and individuals who make up a part of our country.
Interesting and Influential Asian Americans (with lower publicity):
- Yuri Kochiyama: Japanese American civil rights activist. She and her family were forcibly removed by the US government and sent to an internment camp during WWII.
- Patsy Mink: American attorney and politician from the US territory of Hawaii who served in the House of Representatives for 24 years.
- Kalpana Chawla: NASA astronaut and mechanical engineer: the first Indian woman to go into outer space!
https://asianpacificheritage.gov/About.html
https://asianpacificheritage.gov/About.html
https://www.nps.gov/subjects/aapiheritage/people.htm
