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Society Marks Asian Pacific American History Month

May is Asian Pacific American History Month, and USCHS organized several programs with an APA theme.  First, as part of the ongoing Yielding the Floor oral history project, several additional interviews with Members of Congress are available on this website. The more recent additions are Representatives Mike Honda (D-CA) and David Wu (D-OR).  Keep checking the website; more interviews are in the works.  Interviewees have talked about everything from childhood experiences in WWII internment camps to their time in Congress and the Cabinet.

Second, on Tuesday, May 8, the Society hosted an Asian Pacific American Public Service Youth Forum.  A select group of DC-area middle and high school students got an overview of Asian American history, interacted with a panel of Asian American Congressional staffers, and listened to former Senator Norm Mineta discuss his experiences with Japanese American internment and on September 11, 2001, when he was serving as secretary of transportation.  The students eagerly asked questions of Mineta and took pictures with him to commemorate the occasion.  The day wound up with three teams competing to answer questions about Asian American history and U.S. civics.  Stuart-Hobson Middle School history teacher Amy Trenkle noted that her students “had a marvelous time” and “were just buzzing about it” when they returned to school.  “It really boosted their confidence!”

Finally, the Society followed up the Youth Forum with a noontime lecture by Dr. Franklin Odo on Thursday, May 10.  Dr. Odo, Director of the Smithsonian Institution Asian Pacific American Program, also spoke at the Youth Forum.  At this second lecture, he surveyed the audience for specific questions about his topic, Hawai’i’s transition to statehood, and based his talk on those questions.  Check to website for soon-to-be-announced details about our annual August lecture series, on Wednesdays at noon, and for future lectures commemorating Hispanic Heritage Month and American Indian Heritage Month.