The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Honors Asian Pacific American Heritage Month 2007 (Home Page contains a montage of images including people from various countries from South Central Asia to Japan, as well as the Pacific Islands, Buddha, prayer flags, dancers, Korean masks, and a sun face)

Asian Pacific American Heritage Month was enacted by Public Law 102-450 on October 28, 1992. The purpose of the law was to honor the achievements of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans and to recognize their contributions to the United States. This recognition was the culmination of the efforts of Jeanie Jew, a congressional aide on Capitol Hill in the 1970s and a member of the Organization of Chinese American Women, to establish Asian Pacific American Heritage Week.

On October 2, 1978, President Jimmy Carter signed the Joint Resolution and the first Asian Pacific American Heritage Week was celebrated in May 1979. In 1992, the week was expanded to a month-long recognition when President George H. W. Bush signed the law and it was unanimously supported by both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
May was selected for the recognition because two significant events in history took place in that month: Japanese immigrants first arrived in the United States on May 7, 1843, and the transcontinental railroad was completed on May 10, 1869 (Golden Spike Day).

Please read the President's prolamation for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.  

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