May is Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month. It is designed to be a time to recognize the contributions and achievements of Americans of Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Island descent.
This guide is designed to assist congressional offices with work-related Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month celebrations. It contains links to census and demographic information, CRS reports, and presidential proclamations, as well as additional web resources commemorating Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month. The guide also provides a list of educational, cultural, and advocacy organizations focusing on the Asian/Pacific American community.
President Jimmy Carter declared May 4-10, 1979, Asian Pacific Heritage Week, as called for by the passage of P.L. 95-419. The observance was extended to one month by P.L. 101-283, signed by President George H. W. Bush in 1990. In 1992, Congress passed P.L. 102-450, which permanently designated May as "Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month." The commemoration is also referred to as "Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month," as seen in Presidential Proclamation 8369 of 2009.
P.L. 102-450 is codified in the U.S. Code at 36 U.S.C. §102.
The Congressional Research Service has several reports that include information related to Asian Pacific Americans.
CRS Report R43869, Membership of the 114th Congress: A Profile, by [author name scrubbed].
CRS Report R43244, Women in the United States Congress: Historical Overview, Tables, and Discussion, by [author name scrubbed], [author name scrubbed], and [author name scrubbed].
CRS Report R43237, Programs for Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) Under the Higher Education Act (HEA), by [author name scrubbed].
Members of Congress often make floor statements, issue press releases, or enter Extensions of Remarks into the Congressional Record to recognize federal holidays and observances. The following are some examples from the Congressional Record.
Representative Sheila Jackson Lee, "Asian Pacific American Heritage Month," Extension of Remarks, Congressional Record, daily edition, vol. 161 (May 8, 2015), p. E665.
Senator Harry Reid, "Asian Pacific American Heritage Month," remarks in the Senate, Congressional Record, daily edition, vol. 161 (May 6, 2015), p. S2682.
Representative Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen, "Recognizing Asian Pacific American Heritage Month," Extension of Remarks, Congressional Record, daily edition, vol. 161 (May 5, 2015), p. E656.
Representative Alan Lowenthal, "Celebrating Asian Pacific American Heritage Month," remarks in the House, Congressional Record, daily edition, vol. 160 (May 28, 2014), p. H4834.
Senator Harry Reid, "Asian Pacific American Heritage Month," remarks in the Senate, Congressional Record, daily edition, vol. 159 (May 23, 2013), p. S3878.
Representative Judy Chu, "Asian Pacific American Heritage Month," Extensions of Remarks, Congressional Record, daily edition, vol. 158 (May 10, 2012), p. E769.
Representative Anna Eshoo, "A Tribute in Honor of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and the Hep B Free Campaign," Extensions of Remarks, Congressional Record, daily edition, vol. 157 (May 31, 2011), p. E900.
Senator Dianne Feinstein, "Asian Pacific American Heritage Month," remarks in the Senate, Congressional Record, daily edition, vol. 157 (May 2, 2011), p. S2575.
Representative Stephen Lynch, "Celebrating Asian Pacific American Heritage Month," remarks in the House, Congressional Record, daily edition, vol. 156 (May 25, 2010), p. H3776.
Representative Adam Schiff, "Asian Pacific American Heritage Month," Extension of Remarks, Congressional Record, daily edition, vol. 155 (May 12, 2009), p. E1117.
Representative David Reichert, "Asian Pacific American Heritage Month," Extension of Remarks, Congressional Record, daily edition, vol. 154 (May 14, 2008), p. E909.
One of the many uses of a presidential proclamation is to ceremoniously honor a group or call attention to certain issues or events. Some recent proclamations commemorating Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month, from the Compilation of Presidential Documents, include
Presidential Proclamation–Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, 2016.
Proclamation 9266–Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, 2015.
Proclamation 9108–Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, 2014.
Proclamation 8965–Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, 2013.
Proclamation 8806–Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, 2012.
Proclamation 8659–Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, 2011.
Earlier presidential proclamations are available through the Federal Digital System (FDsys) on the Government Publishing Office website.
Numerous federal and private sources maintain statistics on the Asian/Pacific American population. Two that may be useful are
U.S. Census Bureau, Facts for Features: Asian Pacific American Heritage Month: May 2016.
Nicholas A. Jones, "The Asian Population in the United States: Results from the 2010 Census," Presentation for the 2010 Asian Profile America Event, Washington, DC, May 2012.
Several federal, state, and local departments and agencies provide resources and host events to celebrate Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month. Some of these include the following:
Library of Congress, "Asian Pacific American Heritage Month." Events, exhibits, collections, and educational materials related to Asian Pacific American Heritage Month are highlighted.
U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), "Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month." The DOD recognizes and honors "the dedicated service and contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, both past and present, through military service in defense of our nation."
The Smithsonian Institution, "Asian Pacific American Heritage Month." Events and teaching resources related to Asian Pacific American Heritage Month are highlighted. Additional events and resources can be found at the website of the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center.
National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), "Asian-Pacific Heritage Month." The NEH highlights historical readings and educational resources.
National Park Service (NPS), U.S. Department of the Interior, "National Register of Historic Places Program: Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month." The NPS features historic properties listed in the National Register and National Park units "highlighting important aspects of the Asian and Pacific experience in America."
Programming Librarian, "Asian Pacific American Heritage Month." The American Library Association highlights public libraries throughout the United States that celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month with activities, programs, displays, entertainment, and more.
Numerous nongovernmental organizations provide information on and promote advocacy for Asian/Pacific Americans. Some of these include the following:
Federal Asian Pacific American Council
National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development (CAPACD)