Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month 2024
Brief History of AAPI Heritage Month
Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month originated from the House Joint Resolution 540, in 1977, which proclaimed the first ten days of May as Pacific/Asian American Week. It was not until 1992 when Congress passed Public Law 101-283 which altered the week to extend to a full month. The reason May acts as the chosen commemoration to AAPI people is due to the first Japanese immigrant who moved to the United States on May 7, 1843. This was also a commemoration of the completion of the U.S. railroad on May 10, 1869, which was thanks to the help of the Chinse immigrants. While AAPI Heritage Month is celebrated nationally during May, Syracuse University hosts a series of events in April to commemorate and educate the campus community about the underrepresented histories, experiences, and challenges of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
AAPI Heritage Month is an intersectional celebration of identity that honors the power of AAPI people in America and how it transcends in the future. AAPI people have a rich history filled with determination and bonds of love that follows through multiple generations. This curation of books explores the different themes of the AAPI stories including mental health, identity, immigration, invisibility, and the Asian American experience.
Campus Events
Syracuse University’s Office of Multicultural Affairs is hosting events for AAPI Heritage Month throughout April in collaboration with other campus departments and student organizations. Be sure to view the list of events and attend those of interest to you! Check out the Libraries’ AAPI Heritage Month Research Guide.
Special Thanks
Special thanks to our multiple curators on this display: Leah Kim '26 (B.S. Candidate in Public Relations & International Relations), Kevin Jiang '24 (M.F.A. candidate in Fiction), Yike Tang '24 (M.A. candidate in Marriage and Family Therapy; Chinese international student; she/her), and Duyen Pham '26 (M.F.A. candidate in Illustration; Vietnamese international student).
And a thank you to adjunct instructor R. J. Santander Malabanan in the Asian American Studies department for consulting on the themes and content chosen for this display.