02 May 2008
Asian Pacific American Heritage Month a Celebration of Diversity
Contributions of Asian Americans to U.S. culture are honored in May
Washington -- “I feel very fortunate to have two sets of cultures to enjoy -- American and Vietnamese. Rather than divide my identity in half, these two sets of experiences double my understanding, appreciation, and enjoyment of the world around me.”
Writing these words on his Web site, Asian Nation, Vietnamese-born C.N. Le adds that he sees Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month, which is celebrated in the United States every May, as an opportunity “to share in the accomplishments of all Asian Americans before me.” Le is a professor of sociology at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
Asian Americans include the well-known, such as actor Bruce Lee, the infantrymen of the 442nd regiment who fought in World War II and author Maxine Hong Kingston, Le says, as well as those who are not famous “but whose accomplishments are no less impressive and inspiring.” He cites the Chinese workers on the Transcontinental Railroad, the Japanese Americans interned during World War II, and “everyday Asian immigrant families who work tirelessly to improve their lives and build a future for their children.”
President Bush also praised the contributions of Asian Americans to every facet of life in the United States, from business to academia to the arts, in remarks May 1 at a White House celebration of Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month. Among those in attendance the president singled out were Labor Secretary Elaine Chao, former Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta and veterans of the 442nd regiment.
“This was a segregated Army unit composed mostly of volunteers recruited from internment camps in the United States,” Bush said. They overcame their bitterness and “not only put on the uniform -- they served America with distinction in eight battle campaigns in Europe.” Their unit, Bush added, was “one of the most highly decorated in U.S. military history.”
The president said that more than 15 million Americans claim Asian or Pacific ancestry. “They make America's culture more vibrant, and we're a better place -- and a more lively place, I might add -- from Songkran celebrations in Los Angeles to Chinese New Year parties in Chicago to Diwali festivals right here at the White House.” (See “U.S. House Recognizes South Asian Festival of Lights.”)
Throughout the United States, Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month is celebrated with community festivals, traditional foods, parades and cultural performances. Many schools and government offices hold educational and cultural events.
Asians are the third largest minority group -- and the second fastest-growing group -- in the United States, according to the Census Bureau, which predicts that Asians will increase from 5 percent to 8 percent of the total population by 2050. In addition to approximately 14.9 million foreign-born and native-born citizens -- or 5 percent of the U.S. population -- who claim Asian heritage, there are another 1 million Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders.
The largest population of Asians is in California, with nearly 5 million, followed by New York, Texas and Hawaii. Hawaii has the highest percentage of Asians in its population, 56 percent, followed by California with 14 percent.
More Asian Americans claim Chinese heritage than any other background, followed by Filipinos, Indians, Vietnamese, Koreans and Japanese.
In addition to Asian/Pacific Heritage Month, the U.S. government celebrates America’s diversity through the “Outstanding Americans by Choice” awards, which have been presented since 2006 by the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS) to recognize the professional accomplishments and civic participation of naturalized U.S. citizens.
About a dozen Asian Americans have been named Outstanding Americans by Choice, including Secretary Chao and her father James S.C. Chao, chairman of the New York-based Foremost Group, who were honored early this year.
Elaine Chao was born in Taiwan and arrived in the United States at the age of 8 speaking no English. “Secretary Chao's experience transitioning to a new country inspired her to dedicate most of her professional life to ensuring that people have the chance to build better lives and the opportunity to achieve financial independence,” says the award citation.
Her father was born in Shanghai, China, and began his career in shipping as a cadet on ocean-going vessels. Today, his company, the Foremost Group, has interests in marine shipping, international trade and finance.
Other Asian American honorees include Indra Nooyi, chairman and chief executive officer of PepsiCo, and Renu Khator, the new chancellor of the University of Houston system, both born in India. Two others named this year include Vietnamese-born Anh Duong, a science adviser to the deputy chief of naval operations at the Pentagon, and retired Major General John L. Fugh, who came to the United States from Beijing when he was 15 and went on to become the judge advocate general of the U.S. Army, responsible for the Army’s legal affairs.
The award has been presented to about 60 naturalized citizens from virtually every continent. Additional recipients will be announced later this year.
Two Asian Americans have been specially recognized by the Ellis Island Foundation with the Peopling of America Award, which honors immigrants who have made a major contribution to the American experience. In 2004, the first such award went to Chinese-born architect I. M. Pei, who came to America in 1935. He has designed more than 60 projects in the United States and abroad. In 2007, the award went to Josie Natori, who was born in the Philippines and came to America in 1964. She become the first female vice president of investment banking at Merrill Lynch and then entered the field of fashion, founding the Natori Company.
The contributions of Asian Americans officially were recognized in 1978 when a joint congressional resolution established Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week. President George H.W. Bush expanded it to a month in 1990, and two years later Congress made it official with a law designating May as Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month.
The Library of Congress states that the month of May was chosen because the first Japanese immigrants arrived in the United States on May 7, 1843; May also marks the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad in 1869. The majority of the workers who laid the tracks were Chinese immigrants.
President Bush’s proclamation and his remarks at the White House celebration of Asian/Pacific Heritage Month are available on the White House Web site.
More information on the Outstanding Americans by Choice awards is available on the USCIS Web site.
More information on Asian/Pacific Heritage Month is available from the Library of Congress, including soldiers’ stories from the Veterans History Project.
Also see the U.S. Census Bureau’s Facts for Features page on Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month.
