In the United States, we celebrate Asians and Pacific Islanders during the month of May.  In 1977, two resolutions introducing Asian/Pacific American Heritage Weeks failed to pass Congress.  In June 1978, Representative Frank Horton tried again – this time with a resolution suggesting that the president should “proclaim a week, which is to include the seventh and tenth of the month, during the first ten days in May of 1979 as ‘Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week.’” That resolution passed and President Jimmy Carter signed it into law on October 5, 1978.  Annually, presidents declared Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week, until 1990, when Congress expanded the celebration to an entire month.  May was chosen as the month for the observance for a couple of reasons: the first Japanese to immigrate to America was in May of 1843 and the completion of the transcontinental railroad in May of 1869 – most of the workers had been Chinese immigrants.

For more information about Asian/Pacific Heritage Month, click here!

Below is a list of adult books that the Fort Smith Public Library recommends for Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month.  If you are interested in the availability of any of the titles featured below, just click on the book cover to go to the library’s online catalog.  Also, be sure and watch the next episode of What to Read Next on May 1st, available on our YouTube channel and Facebook page, when we will highlight several of these titles.