APAHM

It's Asian Pacific American Heritage Month! Time to set your Tivo to record some really great programming on your public TV station. If you don't see related programming during prime time on your local PBS station, write them a letter and cc: alerts@asianmediawatch.net. Some info about APAHM courtesy of Asian Media Watch.

HISTORY IN BRIEF

Efforts to establish a national Asian Pacific American Heritage celebration began after concerned Americans saw that the contributions of Asian Pacific Americans (APAs) were omitted from the 1976 U.S. Bicentennial Celebration. The month of May was chosen in recognition of the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants on May 7, 1843, and of Chinese Americans who helped build the Transcontinental Railroad which was completed on May 10, 1869. It was also chosen to encourage educators to incorporate Asian Pacific American history into the curriculum while school is in session.

APAHM began as a one-week celebration enacted by Congress as Resolution 72 and signed by President Jimmy Carter in 1978. It was the result of legislation introduced by Congressmembers Frank Horton and Norman Y. Mineta (House of Representatives), and Daniel K Inouye and Spark Mastunaga (Senate). In 1990, APAHM was expanded into a month-long celebration annually recognized by Proclamation of the President of the United States of America, and later enacted into Public Law 102-450 on October 23, 1992 by Congress which permanently designated the entire month of May as Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.