May is Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month, a celebration of Asian and Pacific Islanders in the United States.  The broad designation "Asian/Pacific" encompasses the entire continent of Asia as well as the Pacific Islands.  The origin of the commemorative month began as a congressional bill.  In 1978 President Jimmy Carter declared the first ten days of May as Asian/Pacific Heritage Week and in 1992, President George H.W. Bush signed an extension turning the week-long celebration into a month-long celebration. 

This year's theme for Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month is "Leadership, Diversity and Harmony-Gateway to Success" in honor of the contributions to America from citizens with Asian or Pacific Island ancestry.¹  To learn more about the Asian-American experience, check out one these books or search our catalog to locate information on specific topics.

Happy Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month from the DePaul University Libraries!

1. "About Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month." Library of Congress. 25 April 2008. <http://www.loc.gov/topics/asianpacific/about/>.

* Warrior Riding a White Cow. Library of Congress, Asian Division, Washington, D.C.