About the Heritage Month
In 1978, President Jimmy Carter proclaimed the first Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week. Later, in 1992, Congress permanently designated May as Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and President George H.W. Bush signed it into law. The month of May was chosen to commemorate the arrival of the first Japanese immigrant to the United States on May 7, 1843, as well as the anniversary of the completion of the first transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869, which was built largely by Chinese immigrant laborers. By the late 1990s to 2000s, the name Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month was adopted by federal agencies and institutions to be more inclusive. The term Asian American broadly encompasses people with roots across East, Southeast, and South Asia, including many who identify as Desi. At the same time, individuals and communities engage with these identities in different ways, and not everyone relates to umbrella terms in the same way. This month offers an opportunity to celebrate that diversity while recognizing the distinct histories, cultures, and experiences within it.
Learn more
Explore our library research guide that lists resources and materials. Consider checking one of the titles for your spring reading list, available from the University Libraries catalog. Also, more sources on digital and physical holdings related to the heritage month can be found on asianpacificheritage.gov.
Sources: U.S. Senate; Library of Congress; Public Law 102‑450 (1992); Congressional Research Service.
Photo: Cudahy Library book display of Japanese literature
