![]() MAY: The term Asian-Pacific American identifies individuals from nearly 30 different countries, each with a unique historical and cultural heritage. Ethnic groups consolidated under the category of "Asian-Pacific American" include groups from Japan, Korea, China, Indonesia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines and the Pacific Islands. As of February 1999, there were 46,995 Asian Pacific Americans on active duty, including 5,949 commissioned officers and warrant officers, or 2.7 percent of officers in all the services. There were 41,046 enlisted personnel, or 3.6 percent of the enlisted force. And there were 42,765 DoD civilian employees, or 6.2 percent of the DoD civilian work force. On October 5, 1978, President Jimmy Carter signed a Joint Resolution designating the annual celebration. In May 1990, the holiday was expanded further when President George H. W. Bush designated May to be Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month. Although Chinese immigrants began arriving much earlier, May was chosen to commemorate the immigration of the first Japanese immigrants to the United States in 1843. From the Gold Rush to the construction of the first Transcontinental Railroad, through World Wars, Asian-Pacific Americans have both suffered much from and contributed much to the development of America. |
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Asian-Pacific Americans By the Numbers:
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