34 years Celebrating the Contributions and Diverse Cultures of Asian Pacific Americans
L. Crowder
As we say farewell to April we welcome May, which has been known as Asian Pacific American (APA) Heritage Month since June of 1977. With the joint effort of Frank Horton of New York and Norman Mineta of California, the House resolution was introduced to the president, in hopes that the first 10 days of May be recognized as APA Week. A month later Daniel Inouye and Spark Matsunaga produced a similar bill in which both were approved.
President Jimmy Carter signed a “joint resolution” which recognized it as an annual celebration on October 5, 1978.
“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.”
Throughout the nation many APA Heritage parades, festivals and cultural events will be coordinated by numerous community organizations, which share the delectables of the Asian countries, workshops and events about Asian American history and culture as well as cultural performances.
FREE events in NYC:
May 3 FREE
APA Heritage Month Town Hall Meeting
Flushing Town Hall
137-35 Northern Blvd.
Flushing, NY 11354
Potluck!
6:30-8:30pm
May 8th FREE
32nd Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Festival 2011
Union Square Park
E. 17th St. btwn Broadway & Park
12-6pm
