Following bills passed in both the House and Senate in 1978, President Jimmy Carter officially made the first week of May Asian/ Pacific Heritage Week. The holiday was later expanded to include the entire month of May in 1990. May is a particularly significant month for celebrating Asian Pacific American heritage because the first Japanese immigrated to the United States on May 7, 1843. In addition, May marks the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad (May 10, 1869), and a majority of the workers who laid the railroad's tracks were Chinese immigrants.
In honor of this year's celebration, explore China's artistic diaspora, the hula tradition and the work of Chinese immigrants on the frontier. Discover music of the Mekong River, and learn about Asian Pacific American Heritage Month celebrations at the Smithsonian and around the country.
China’s Artistic Diaspora
For sixty years, upheavals in Chinese politics have not only remade the country’s economy–they have remade Chinese art
Primed for Success
Terence Tao is regarded as first among equals among young mathematicians, but who's counting
Where East Met (Wild) West
Excavations in a legendary gold rush town uncover the unsung labors of Chinese immigrants on the frontier
A Hip Tradition
The age-old art of hula is still moving and shaking
Year of the Rat
Celebrating Chinese New Year
Points of Interest
This month's guide to notable American destinations and happenings
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Photo Gallery
Photos from Bhutan
Slideshow of life in Bhutan
Special Section
Destination Asia
Travel across the continent and discover all it has to offer through articles, video, quiz questions and slideshows
