Ed. Note: The below is from our friends at CAPAC, chaired by our Honorary Board member Rep Mike Honda (D-Ca.).
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Rep. Honda and CAPAC Members applaud unanimous passage of resolution honoring former Secretary Norman Mineta
Asian-American History: 10 Facts
Asian-American history doesn’t get taught much in schools (and probably even less so in Texas), but May is Asian-American Heritage Month (in case you didn’t already know). And Jenn Fang has compiled ten facts you may not know about Asian-American history. Here are the first five:
- The first Asians whose arrival in America was documented were Filipinos who escaped a Spanish galleon in 1763. They formed the first Asian-American settlement in U.S. history, in the swamps surrounding modern-day New Orleans.
- In the years between 1917 and 1965, Uncle Sam explicitly outlawed immigration to the U.S. of all Asian people. Immigration from China, for example, was banned as early as 1882, when the Chinese Exclusion Act was passed. It wasn’t until the Immigration Act of 1965 — which abolished national origins as a basis for immigration decisions — that nearly 50 years of race-based discrimination against Asian immigrants ended.
- Because of their race, Asians immigrants were denied the right to naturalize as U.S. citizens, until the 1943 Magnuson Act was passed. Consequently, for nearly a century of U.S. history, Asians were barred from owning land and testifying in court by laws that specifically targeted “aliens ineligible to citizenship.” Even after the passage of the Fourteenth Amendment in 1868, American-born children of Chinese immigrants were not regarded as American citizens until the landmark 1898 Supreme Court case, United States v. Wong Kim Ark, which established that the Fourteen Amendment also applied to people of Asian descent.
- Among the earliest Asian immigrants, virtually all ethnicities worked together as physical laborers, particularly on Hawaii’s sugar cane plantations. On these plantations, a unique hybrid language — pidgin — developed that contained elements of Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Korean and English. Today, pidgin is one of the official languages of Hawaii, a state that is itself 40% Asian.
- Despite the Alien Land Law, which specifically prevented Asians from owning their own land, Japanese farmers were highly successful in the West Coast where they put into practice their knowledge of cultivating nutrient-poor soil to yield profitable harvests. By the 1920s, Japanese farmers (working their own land, or land held by white landowners that they managed) were the chief agricultural producers of many West Coast crops. In fact, the success of Japanese farmers is often cited as one of the reasons white landowners in California lobbied to support Japanese-American internment following the declaration of World War II.
You can find the rest here. And here’s a fuller timeline of Asian-American history.
Thanks to Angry Asian Man for the heads-up.
– Justin
Remarks By The President at Reception Celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
May 24, 2010
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT AT RECEPTION CELEBRATING ASIAN AMERICAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER HERITAGE MONTH
East Room
3:50 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, everybody. Thank you. (Applause.) Thank you so much. It is wonderful to see all of you – some of you back for the second time. Some of you work for me, so you’re here all the time. (Laughter.)
I want to, before I start off, acknowledge that we’ve got just some outstanding members of Congress who are always fighting the good fight for the AAPI community. It starts at the top, though, and I want to give a huge welcome and big round of applause for somebody who will go down as one of the greatest Speakers in our history – Speaker Nancy Pelosi. (Applause.)
I want to thank Father Vien for his introduction. He’s led Mary Queen of Vietnam Church in Louisiana through some pretty hard days. After Katrina, he served not only as a spiritual advisor but also as a community organizer, making sure his parishioners got the help that they needed. In fact, shortly after returning to New Orleans, when much of the city was dark, he convinced the utility company to divert electricity to the neighborhood around his church. So nobody messes with Father Vien. (Laughter.) He tends to get what he wants.
Today, as communities in the Gulf face new hardships as the result of this ongoing oil spill, he’s once more taken up the cause of his community. He’s advocating on behalf of the many Vietnamese and Cambodian Americans and others who make their living shrimping and fishing. And I want him to know that we are going to be tireless in working to do everything we can to support the community and everybody whose livelihoods have been imperiled down in the region. (Applause.)
I want to not only thank all the members of Congress who are here – I think Ric Shinseki may be here; has he made it yet? He may be late. Give Ric Shinseki a round of applause anyway because he’s doing a great job as our Secretary of Veterans Affairs. (Applause.) I want to thank DJ Rekha who’s been spinning a little East Room Bhangra for everybody – (applause) – mixing a hip-hop beat with the sounds of her heritage; making a uniquely American sound that may not have been heard in the White House before. (Laughter.)
But, you know, that speaks to the promise of this country – a nation that welcomes contributions from all peoples, all colors, all creeds. We draw strength from the rich tradition that everybody can call America home because we all came from somewhere else except for the first Americans. “E pluribus unum.” Out of many, one. And there’s no better example of this than the communities that are represented in this room. Your role in America’s story has not always been given its due. And many Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have known tremendous unfairness and injustice during our history.
But we also know that generations of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders helped to build this country, defend this country, and make America what it is today: from the Chinese laborers who scaled cliffs and laid ties to connect our coasts by rail, to the members of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team who fought and bled overseas while their families were interned back home; from the hundreds of thousands who bore hardship and sacrifice on the journey to Angel Island a century ago, to the more than 16 million Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders whose talents and efforts strengthen our economy and protect our security and enliven our communities each and every day. And obviously this is personal for me, since you need to look no further than my family – my sister Maya, and brother-in-law Konrad, and my two mischievous nieces – (laughter) – Suhaila and Savita – to know that it is part of America’s past but is also going to be part of America’s future.
And for this reason, we are here today to celebrate these contributions. But we’re also holding this event because I want to make sure that we are hearing from you – so that the government does its part on your behalf, just as you’re doing your part on America’s behalf.
And that’s why I signed an executive order to reestablish the White House initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. (Applause.) It’s chaired by my Commerce Secretary, Gary Locke, and my Education Secretary, Arne Duncan. Are they here? There’s Arne. (Applause.) It’s easier to spot Arne than Gary. (Laughter.) That’s why we’re always welcoming your input – from meetings with Sikh Americans to Native Hawaiians. The goal is to make sure that our government is successfully working to address disparities in health care, in education, and economic opportunity that exists within various AAPI communities.
Sometimes these disparities don’t get the attention they deserve. People get lumped into one category, and obviously so many Asian Americans are doing so well that the fact of disparity is lost and forgotten. But as you know, beneath the label of “AAPI” are dozens of communities, and each is facing their own unique challenges. And that’s part of what this education effort within government is all about, to make sure we’re not making generalizations but rather we’re thinking in very particular terms about how we can help to give everyone in this country the opportunity they deserve.
I’m also going to fight – have been fighting and will keep on fighting for comprehensive immigration reform that respects our nation’s heritage. (Applause.) We have to respect our heritage as a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants. And that means that everybody is going to have to take responsibility. Government has a responsibility to secure the border and enforce laws. Washington has an obligation to set clear, common-sense rules, including rules that no longer punish and divide families that are doing the right thing and following the law. That’s why addressing the backlogs problem in our immigration system is an important part of reform. Business has to be held accountable when they exploit undocumented workers. Individuals who are here illegally, they have to take responsibility by paying a fine and back taxes, learning English, and going to the back of the line so that they take a legal path towards citizenship.
These are the essential elements of comprehensive reform, and I’m going to work with members of both parties to get it done. It may not be the easiest thing to do politically. But I also know that it is the right thing to do for our country.
In addition, we’ve sought to honor AAPI heritage – commemorating Hmong New Year, marking – good to see you. (Laughter.) I know, I remember you. (Applause.) How’s your kid? She’s doing good? Good, good, good. (Laughter.) Didn’t know we were going to have that little colloquy, but – (laughter.)
We’ve marked Diwali in the White House. (Applause.) And with my appointments and nominations, I’ve worked to make sure that we’ve got a government that is reflective of all America, including Americans of Asian descent and Pacific Islanders.
But I think it’s also important to stress that while you confront some specific challenges to AAPI communities, everybody here understands that nobody is immune from the problems that our country is confronted with as a whole.
As small business owners, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders know how important it is that we continue to spur growth after a long and brutal recession. As parents, everybody here is concerned about the quality of our education system, and making college more affordable and accessible. As Americans, we want to make sure that we’re giving our children the same opportunities that were given to us. And you know that it’s up to each generation of Americans to pass on that legacy – to make sure that America is living up to its promise; a place where all things are possible if you’re willing to put in a lot of hard work.
Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have helped to fulfill that promise for generations now. And because of the leadership of all of you in this room and people all across the country, I’m confident that that will continue into this century.
So thank you so much, everybody, for being here. God bless you. God bless America. Thank you. (Applause.)
END
4:00 P.M. EDT
The Origin and Caveat of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
May is officially Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, an homage to Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) accomplishments, but the origin story of this special month is our cautionary tale for the 21st Century. For Jeanie Jew, a former national president of the Organization of Chinese American Women, the absence of the contributions of AAPIs in the US’s bicentennial celebrations in 1976 set her on a quest to rectify this blindness. However, the stories of her grandfather and his peers ignited the flame which fueled her passion for this nation and continue to burn in the memories of many AAPIs who descended from those who worked the land and laid the railroad tracks at the turn of the 20th Century.
In 1977, Jeanie Jew and Congressional staffer Ruby Moy sought the help of Congress members Frank Horton (R-NY) and Norman Mineta (D-CA) who successfully introduced House Resolution 540 to designate the first 10 days of May as a time to recognize the achievements of AAPIs. US Senators Daniel Inouye (D-HI) and Spark Matsunaga (D-HI) initiated a similar bill, Senate Resolution 72, in the same year with President Jimmy Carter signing the Joint Resolution (Public Law 49-419) on October 5, 1978. By October 28, 1992, with unanimous support from both the House of Representatives and the Senate, President George Bush signed Public Law 102-450 which permanently designated the whole month of May as Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.
Two important historical events justified May as the choice month: the first major migration of Japanese into the US on May 7, 1843 and the completion of the transcontinental railroad, largely built by Chinese immigrants, on May 10, 1869, also known as “Golden Spike Day.”
Jeanie’s grandfather, M.Y. Lee, was part of the wave of Chinese immigrants who lifted and set down heavy iron rails and hammered the stakes into the ground which allowed the social and economic engine of the US to roll from coast to coast. During the 1800s and much of the 20th Century, US citizens blamed Chinese and other AAPI immigrants for their domestic woes. For these white citizens, AAPI immigrants conjured images of opium dens, rat-eating sexual deviants preying on white women, and “coolie” labor who robbed them of livelihood and devoured, like locust, the riches of the land. AAPIs were not seen as the successful “model minority” currently bandied about today. Despite having helped built the first US transcontinental railroad that enabled the nation’s economy to expand westward, Jeanie’s grandfather was spat upon and cursed. He was later killed for speaking out on behalf of Chinese immigrants.
AAPIs would become the first group to be racially profiled in US immigration law with the passage of the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act, which banned Chinese workers from entering the US and several subsequent laws such as the 1917 Asiatic Barred Zone, which restricted most immigrants of AAPI descent.
The adoption of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month was a partial dream fulfilled for Jeanie Jew. She would reflect, “My dream continues. Hopefully I’ll live long enough to see more of my dream realized. It is a journey, it is a dream; it is an Asian American dream for us to continue because each generation puts their stamp on what this month means to them.”
With the recent passage of SB1070, which opens the gate to racial profiling, and the adoption of an educational policy that seeks to ban ethnic studies and teachers with an accent to teach English in Arizona, Asian Pacific American Heritage Month becomes a crucial time for needed remembrance and reflection in the 21st Century. To truly celebrate the struggles and contributions of AAPIs in this country, we need to stop repeating history. We need to continue to courageously speak like Jeanie’s grandfather and fully realize her dream now.
– John Delloro
Ted Lieu Statement on Ted Kennedy
I was deeply saddened to learn of the death of Senator Edward Kennedy late last night. My condolences go out to his wife and family and all those he leaves behind.
Senator Kennedy built a legacy for himself as one of the most passionate and effective legislators in American history. Despite suffering many personal tragedies, he dedicated his life to serving the least among us, a champion for civil rights, health care and education.
Unwavering in his beliefs and dedication to the ideals of the Democratic Party, Senator Kennedy led the fight for groundbreaking social policy in the US Senate for 47 years. I was lucky enough to meet the Senator at a rally for President Obama in Los Angeles last year. His devotion to public service will continue to serve as an inspiration for me in my own legislative work.
The “Lion of the Senate” will be greatly missed, but his legacy will live on.
Ted W. Lieu
Paid for by Ted Lieu for Attorney General 2010. ID#1314048
1510 J Street
Suite 210
Sacramento, CA 95814
Honoring the Late Senator Edward Kennedy
Today, we mourn the passing of Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Ma.). I highlight 2 of his historical speeches in memory.
This speech, entitled “The Dream Will Never Die“, is his concession speech in the 1980 Presidential election‘s general election against Jimmy Carter at the Democratic National Convention. It is widely recognized as the last of the famous Camelot speeches by the Kennedy’s.
Or click here to view the video.
Three months after being diagnosed with brain cancer, Ted made an emotional semi-surprise speech at the 2008 Democratic National Convention endorsing the now President Barack Obama.
Or click here to view the video.
Pelosi Celebrates Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
Contact: Brendan Daly/Nadeam Elshami 202-226-7616
Press Release
For Immediate Release
05/01/2009
Pelosi Celebrates Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
Washington, D.C. – Speaker Nancy Pelosi released the following statement today in celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, which begins today:
“Asian Pacific American Heritage Month is celebrated in May, and I am pleased to use this month to reflect on the accomplishments and influence of Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) across the nation.
“As the 111th Congress passes the 100-day mark of legislative business, I reflect on the contributions we have been able to give back to the AAPI community. In February, Congress passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to turn around our economy and create millions of jobs. Within this legislation, funds were allocated to compensate World War II Filipino War veterans, who were never officially recognized for their service more than 60 years ago in the Pacific Theater. This long-awaited formal acknowledgment of brave veterans who fought along side American soldiers to defend American’s cause during World War II. I have long advocated for and am thrilled to see it passed into law and signed by President Obama.
“Leadership in this country is also drawing from the AAPI community and gathering the best minds and forces to guide them. With President Obama’s appointments to his Cabinet of Secretary Steven Chu to the Energy Department, Secretary Eric Shinseki to the Veterans Affairs Department, and Secretary Gary Locke to the Commerce Department, we now have represented AAPIs as key decision-makers. Their heritage will add a key dimension in America’s history of leaders and how they shaped this country.
“I also want to acknowledge San Francisco’s 8th Congressional District, which I have proudly represented for more than 20 years as a prime example of the beauty in diversity of culture and background that is America. The AAPI community is a significant part of what makes San Francisco special and a privilege to represent in Congress.
“The beauty is in the mix, and this is not just recognized during Asian Pacific Islander Heritage month but year-round. The AAPI community continues to make contributions in making a better America for generations to come.”
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