May is Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month
In 1992, Congress designated May as Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month to:
- Commemorate the immigration of the first Japanese to the United States on May 7, 1843
- 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.)
Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month is a celebration of the achievements, contributions, culture, traditions and history of Asian American and Pacific Islander people in the United States.