Detail of "Chinatown, San Francisco, California". Carol Highsmith, photographer, May 2013. (Library of Congress)
May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, celebrating and honoring the unique histories, cultures, and languages of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. The month of May was chosen to commemorate the immigration of the first Japanese to the United States on May 7, 1843, and to mark the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869. The majority of the workers who laid the tracks were Chinese immigrants.
Explore our resource guide and learn about the contributions and impact of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Comments, questions, suggestions? Chat with a librarian!