May 1 officially marked the start of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
Throughout the month, the stories and contributions of Americans with descendants from Asia and countries in the Pacific Islands located in the Oceanic regions of Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia will be honored.
According to the non-profit Federal Asian Pacific American Council, this year the month will be following the theme of “Advancing Leaders Through Collaboration.”
Continuing off of the“Advancing Leaders” series and last year’s theme of “Advancing Leaders Through Purpose Driven Service,” May will be used to focus on the FAPAC’s efforts to promote diversity in government positions and the importance of joining forces.
“Collaboration across federal agencies in making decisions supporting and advancing leaders is essential to developing and retaining key talent at the leadership level,” said the FAPAC in a statement. “Embracing collaboration to advance the most promising individuals to leadership and management positions also demonstrates to all federal employees that they too should embrace collaboration within and across their subset of departments.”
The movement to make the Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month a reality first began in the 1970s.
Jeanie F. Jew, a former staffer on Capitol Hill and member of the Organization of Chinese Americans, came up with the idea that would become the AAPI Heritage Month after noting a lack of Asian Pacific American representation in the U.S. Bicentennial of 1976, a year-long celebration of the 200th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
Jew also wanted to honor her great grandfather, M.Y. Lee, who immigrated to the U.S in the 1800s from China and helped build the Transcontinental Railroad under laborious conditions.
During the building of the railroad, the Chinese workers that made up 90% of the workforce for the project were initially paid $27 a month without food and board provided. About 1,000 Chinese laborers’ lives were lost due to accidental explosions and avalanches as they cleared the way for the railroad’s construction.
To increase recognition and appreciation for the contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, Jew reached out to Ruby Moy, an assistant to New York Rep. Frank Horton, who connected her with the Congressman.
Inspired by Jew’s ideas, Horton proposed a resolution in 1977- the same year Sen. Daniel Inouye proposed a similar resolution- that would make the first 10 days of May “Pacific/ Asian American Heritage Week.” To receive Congressional support, Jew advocated for the proposal by founding the National Coalition for an Asian/Pacific American Heritage Proclamation and the Asian Pacific Congressional Staff Caucus along with Moy.
In October of 1978, the first incarnation of AAPI Heritage Month was officially created when President Jimmy Carter signed another resolution proposed by Horton that declared the week of May 4 as Asian Pacific American Heritage Week.
Congress extended the week to a month in 1990 and officially declared May as the month of the annual celebration of Asian Pacific Heritage Month two years later.
“I want to commend the two women who made this event possible, Ruby Moy and Jeanie Jew,” said Rep. Horton at the 1992 congressional hearing that made the month official. “Mrs. Jew turned a personal tragedy in her family history into a positive force.”
