Category Archives: History

CAAM: The Golden Spike

2015 marks the 150th anniversary of the completion of the western half of the Transcontinental Railroad by Chinese immigrants.Often, the immigrant Chinese’s role in this historic accomplishment has been literally white washed. As part of celebrating Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month, the Center … Continue reading

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US Memorial Day: Remembering Captain Francis Wai

In 1996, the United States Congress ordered a new look at the stories of Asian American soldiers to see if any were passed up for appropriate medals.   As a result, in 2000, Frances Wai’s Distinguished Service Cross medal was … Continue reading

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The White House Summit on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders: Historic Gathering of Almost 2,000 People

This week, on May 12, the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders hosted the first-ever White House Summit on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in Washington, DC. Nearly 2,000 community members, federal officials, and guests from over … Continue reading

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NPR: The Frightened Vietnamese Kid Who Became A U.S. Army General

Last year, Viet Luong made history by being the first Vietnamese American to become a U.S. general. Forty years ago this past week, Luong was a 9-year-old boy in Saigon (now known as Ho Chi Minh City) fell to the … Continue reading

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History of San Jose Japantown on KQED Radio

When I first moved to San Jose from the East Bay 25 years ago, one very pleasant discovery has been San Jose’s Japantown. As one of the three remaining Japantowns in the US, I always thought it had much more … Continue reading

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8$: George Takei: Allegiance on Broadway and the Japanese American National Museum Legacy Project

8$ is a series which occasionally highlights interesting crowdfunding projects. Every day, the 8Asians team is inundated by many worthy pitches. We are unable to highlight every one that comes our way, or even the ones we might individually support. … Continue reading

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McGraw-Hill Denies Japan’s Request to Remove Comfort Women from Textbooks

Good for McGraw-Hill. Seriously, the nerve of the Japanese government to try to extend their censorship to the United States. I remember on one of my family visits to Japan and Taiwan in college, I was reading Iris Chang’s (R.I.P.) … Continue reading

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NPR: Whatever Floats Your Goat: The 2015 Lunar New Year Animal Is Up For Debate

Happy Lunar New Year! I had heard this NPR piece recently, and thought it was very educational – because I have heard many Happy Chinese / Lunar New Year celebration and exclaiming Happy Year of the Goat, Sheep or Ram. … Continue reading

Posted in Current Events, History, Observations | 1 Comment

Representatives Takano, Honda, Matsui introduce House Resolution to recognize “Day of Remembrance”

Representatives Mark Takano (D-CA), Mike Honda (D-CA), and Doris Matsui (D-CA) introduced a House resolution to recognize the “Day of Remembrance” on February 19. Signed on February 19, 1942 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Executive Order 9066 authorized the Secretary … Continue reading

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8Books Review: “How Much Do You Love Me?” by Paul Mark Tag

“How Much Do You Love Me?” by Paul Mark Tag is the kind of novel I usually hate. Here’s the Amazon.com synopsis: It’s December 1941, and the Japanese have bombed Pearl Harbor. Politicians fuel anti-Japanese hysteria and campaign to segregate … Continue reading

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8Books Review: “Chop Suey, USA” by Yong Chen

Reading Yong Chen’s new book Chop Suey, USA: The Story of Chinese Food in America is an education. In some ways, it seems more like an encyclopedia or a peak into the brain of a man who has read and retained an … Continue reading

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Bette Bolivar is one of US Navy’s Highest Ranking Females

When Babette “Bette” Bolivar’s father joined the navy, Filipinos like him and my father were limited to jobs like being a steward or a cook.   In an interview with the Philippine Star, she talks about the path that has lead … Continue reading

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