May is Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

The month of May was chosen to commemorate the immigration of the first Japanese people to the United States on May 7, 1843 and to mark the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869. The majority of the workers who laid the tracks were Chinese immigrants. Learn more at asianpacificheritage.gov

To learn more about Asian American experience, check out these articles, videos, and demographic data from the Pew Research Center.

About AAPI Heritage Month Memphis

AAPI Heritage Month Memphis is an initiative to promote and celebrate AAPI cultures, communities, and identities across Memphis and the Mid-South in order to build relationships that serve as a foundation for working together to create an equitable, thriving future for all.

To volunteer or for media inquiries, email Dr. SunAh M Laybourn at AAPIHeritageMonthMemphis@gmail.com