Pattern Recognition (2020) by Jenifer K Wofford (American)Asian Art Museum
Asian Pacific American Heritage Month is celebrated annually in May in the United States to highlight the history, heritage, and contributions of Asian Pacific American communities. Home to 48 countries, Asia is the largest and most populous continent.
The Ghosh Family at Samuel P. Taylor State Park (1970)Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center
Over 20 million people of Asian and Pacific Islander descent live in the United States totaling about 6 percent of the U.S. population, representing a wealth and diversity of cultures and experiences within the United States.
Ritual vessel in the shape of a rhinoceros Ritual vessel in the shape of a rhinoceros (prob. 1100-1050 BCE, Shang dynasty (approx. 1600-1050 BCE))Asian Art Museum
Now, immerse yourself in the richness and complexity of cultures that make up this community with 12 stories curated by experts, curators, historians, and archivists from cultural institutions in the U.S.
Shimomura Crossing the Delaware (2010) by Roger ShimomuraSmithsonian's National Portrait Gallery
1. What if George Washington were Japanese American?
Explore what it means to be American in this in-painting tour with Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery. What if George Washington were Japanese American? Get up close to Shimomura Crossing the Delaware where Roger Shimomura poses this thought-provoking question.
Dual Intent (2013) by AishwaryaSmithsonian Asian Pacific American Center
2. Discover immigration journeys
Join the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center on artists’ immigration journeys. The Immigration Act of 1990, which included the creation of the H-1B Visa, opened up opportunities to many Asian immigrants skilled in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
However, for many, to live in the U.S. on an H-1B visa is to live a life of uncertainty. Learn more about the hardship and perseverance of the 17 artists whose work explores their own immigration experience.
Chinatown in Ruins (c.1900) by UnknownChinese Historical Society of America
3. Experience the rebirth of San Francisco's Chinatown
Experience San Francisco’s Chinatown, reborn with Chinese Historical Society of America. The Great San Francisco Earthquake of 1906 provided an opportune time for the Mayor and developers to call for the destruction of this now historic landmark. Instead, Chinese leaders in San Francisco united to rebuild their community with an ignited spirit of fortitude and resilience.
Beyond Bollywood Flagship Image (1983) by Saarika SharmaSmithsonian Asian Pacific American Center
4. Go beyond Bollywood
When you imagine India, what comes to your mind? India conjures up many things: elephants, saris, and spices; gurus, gods, and goddesses; turbans, temples, and a billion faces drawn from ancient history, modern-day Slumdog Millionaires, and the pulsating energy of Bollywood movies. Beyond Bollywood curated by the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center explores Indian American contributions far beyond these stereotypes.
Anna May Wong Certificate of IdentityCenter for Asian American Media (CAAM)
5. Learn the citizenship stories
Learn about different stories of Asian Americans seeking citizenship, from Bhagat Singh Thind in 1918 to how Tereza Lee became the first “Dreamer” unfold by the Center of Asian American Center. Waves of Asian immigrants questioned what rights their new place of residence would extend to them? To what extent would the “American dream” be extended to these new faces?
March Fong at Capitol (1975/1975) by Office of the Secretary of State. California State ArchivesCalifornia State Archives
6. Meet March Fong Eu
You can listen to the incredible story of March Fong Eu’s lifetime service provided by the California State Archives.
Among the many notable Asian American trailblazers, March Fong Eu broke many barriers in her long career in public service, from being the first woman to serve as division chair of the University of California San Francisco's Dental Hygiene Department in 1951 to being the first Asian-American woman to serve as acting-Governor of California in 1976.
Ruth Asawa in her studio (ca. 1956)de Young museum
7. Meet Ruth Asawa
The de Young museum invites you to meet Ruth Asawa (American, 1926–2013), a pioneering modern artist best known for her innovative abstract wire sculptures.
Born in California to Japanese immigrants, Asawa embodied a uniquely expansive vision, regarding herself as a “citizen of the universe,” saying, “I don’t think of myself as Japanese. I think of myself as somebody with an idea, a human idea rather than an ethnic idea.”
Asian American Students FilmingCenter for Asian American Media (CAAM)
8. Asian American actors, activists, and storytellers
Find inspiration in the Asian American Storytellers presented by the Center of Asian American Media, from actress Anna May Wong breaking barriers in Hollywood in the 1920s to activists seeking justice for the murder of Vincent Chin.
"Representation matters, and we all benefit due to the efforts and hard work of scores of writers, historians, and artists.” - Stephen Gong, CAAM’s Executive Director
1973 in "Enter The Dragon" (Circa. 1973) by Warner Bros.Bruce Lee Foundation
9. Discover Bruce Lee and Hollywood
Did you know that Bruce Lee was not only the first Asian American in a lead role to appear in a Hollywood produced movie, but that he was also the Crown Colony Cha-Cha champion of Hong Kong?
Born Lee Jun-Fan, Bruce Lee showed the world that a Chinese actor could be a leading man— tough, with inflexible morals, and determination to make the world a better place. Learn more about his impact on the industry with the Bruce Lee Foundation.
Perpetual Motion (1931) by Asahachi KonoThe J. Paul Getty Museum
10. Japanese Pictorialists in focus
Admire the photographs by the Japanese Camera Pictorialists of California (JCPC) based in Los Angeles’s Little Tokyo neighborhood from the J. Paul Getty Museum collection. The members, of this lesser-known part of 20th-century American art history, were a mix of amateurs, hobbyists, and professional photographers who developed their modernist styles during the 1920s - 1940s.
Queens Kapiolani and Lilioukalani of Hawaii (2020) by A. A. Montano and George PrinceSmithsonian Asian Pacific American Center
11. Hawaiian Queens
Meet two visionary queens of Hawai‘i, Queen Kapi’olani and Queen Lili’uokalani with the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center. Their work to improve the quality of life for everyone in Hawai’i and support future generations to “E kūlia i ka nu‘u (Strive to reach the summit),” carries on a legacy today through wellness, maternity, and life-long learner education programs.
Jenifer K Wofford's Pattern Recognition in process Jenifer K Wofford's Pattern Recognition in process (2020) by Jenifer K WoffordAsian Art Museum
12. Explore a magnificent mural!
Pattern Recognition (2020) by Jenifer K Wofford (American)Asian Art Museum
Can you find your favorite Asian American artists’ names in this mural by Jenifer K Wofford?
Jenifer K Wofford's Pattern Recognition in process Jenifer K Wofford's Pattern Recognition in process (2020) by Jenifer K WoffordAsian Art Museum
The mural "Pattern Recognition" highlights the cultures of Asian immigrant communities in the Bay Area, including the signature “spiral” design of Carlos Villa and the pottery silhouettes of Jade Snow Wong.
View of Hyde StreetAsian Art Museum
As a passionate educator, Wofford hopes the mural will elevate underrepresented histories and strengthen the connection between the Asian Art Museum and the local community.
Shimomura Crossing the Delaware (2010) by Roger ShimomuraSmithsonian's National Portrait Gallery
Want to find out more? Meet Pulitzer Prize-winning author Viet Thanh Nguyen to discover what Asian Pacific American Heritage Month means to him.
