May marks the beginning of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month, but what exactly does that mean? AANHPI Month is dedicated to people of Asian, Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander heritage. During this time, they are celebrated for their achievements and influence in American culture and the world as a whole.
A variety of people from different countries, including Asia, Australia, Oceania and Hawaii, are included in the AANHPI community. These people and their descendants are honored through cultural festivities and celebrations. However, the AANHPI community has been through a lot of difficult situations.
Asian Americans have faced a significant amount of systematic racism and xenophobia throughout history. For example, the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, the Gentleman’s Agreement of 1907, and the Asian Exclusion Act of 1924 all severely restricted or prohibited Asian immigration into the United States. Hate crimes and the “Yellow Peril” stereotype—a racist stereotype that depicted Asian people as a threat to Western society—strongly contributed to discrimination against Asian Americans. AANHPI month is a way to honor and celebrate the Asian Americans who fought for freedom and equality for the future generations of Asian Americans.
The designation of AANHPI heritage month has had an extensive history. In 1977, New York Representative Frank Horton introduced House Joint Resolution 540, which proclaimed that the first 10 days of May represented Asian and Pacific American Heritage Week. Hawaii Senator Daniel Inouye introduced a similar resolution the same year to back up Horton’s resolution. However, the resolutions didn’t pass. As a result, Horton introduced House Joint Resolution 1007 the following year, which requested the president to designate a week in May starting in 1979 as AANHPI week.
President Jimmy Carter signed House Joint Resolution 1007 into Public Law 95-419 on Oct. 5, 1978. From 1980 to 1990, each president passed annual proclamations for AANHPI heritage week. In 1990, Congress expanded the annual celebration from a week to a month, and with the passing of Public Law 102-450 in 1992, May was officially designated as Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific American Heritage Month under the George H. W. Bush administration.
Similarly, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders have faced challenges. Native Hawaiians became Americans after more than 2000 years of calling their islands home. Other islands in Micronesia have been colonized many times, forcing these Pacific Islanders to lose their identities. However, many key figures within the AANHPI community are determined to reconnect back to their native cultures.
There are many people within the AANHPI community, like Kamala Harris, Tammy Duckworth, and Duke Kahanamoku to name a few. These people have accomplished great things, and their efforts should not go unnoticed. For the month of May, learning about these achievements can help us understand the impact and importance of those in the community. Understanding the cultures of AANHPI is important too, like trying their native foods, learning traditional dances, and even learning their languages can help us understand their culture and daily life.
