5 Strategies to Celebrate Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
Posted by Edutopia on May 13, 2025
May is Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month in the United States, and there are many ways for early elementary teachers to celebrate with their classes.
A Quick History of AANHPI Heritage Month
In 1978, President Jimmy Carter designated the first week of May to be Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week to honor the first Japanese immigrants to America on May 7, 1843, and the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad by many Chinese immigrants on May 10, 1869. In 1990, President George H.W. Bush extended the celebration for all of May. In 2009, President Barack Obama changed the name to Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage month, and in 2024, President Joe Biden added Native Hawaiian to the list, making it Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
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