A lion dance in Seattle's Hing Hay Park, 1975
My most recent blog post over at Change.org is definitely worth a read.
10 Facts You May Not Know About Asian-American History
It’s almost the end of May. Do you know your Asian-American history?
Most of America isn’t aware that May is Asian-American Heritage Month. It’s a celebration that started in 1978, when Congress urged President Jimmy Carter to declare the week of May 4th ”Asian-American Heritage Week.” (That date was chosen to coincide with the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants on May 7, 1843, and with the completion of the first transcontinental railroad — built largely by Chinese laborers — on May 10, 1869.) More recently in 1990, following another vote by Congress, President George H.W. Bush expanded Asian-American Heritage Week to encompass the entire month of May.
Sadly, Asian-American history and heritage is rarely taught in U.S. public schools. So for those of you who’ve missed such curriculum, here’s a list of 10 factoids you may not have known about the history of Asian-Americans in this country:
Do our Native Americans have a day they can celebrate? Like the Trail of tears or when their children were taken from them to “educate” them in the white mans school? Or when they were made to stay on reservations and not to practice their religion. Oh, I guess that’s not exactly cinco demio, or kawnza is it? Hmm I’ll have to give that some thought.
@Lori – what the hell are you going on about?