Asian American & Pacific Islander History Archives | HISTORY Asian American, Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander History Asian Americans, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders have played vital roles in shaping the nation—from building the Transcontinental Railroad to advocating for labor law changes to fighting in multiple wars. They made these contributions while also facing persistent discrimination and violence throughout U.S. history. Featured Overview 5 Trailblazing Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders Discover five history-making figures in the AANHPI community who redefined the American story. 9:46m watch Illustration by Eduardo Ramón Trejo. Photos from Getty Images. Featured Overview 5 Trailblazing Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders Discover five history-making figures in the AANHPI community who redefined the American story. 9:46m watch Start Here Asian American Milestones: Timeline Asian immigrants have come to American shores since the mid-1800s, playing a significant role in U.S. history, but one that’s rife with inequity and exclusion. See a timeline of key events. How American Chinatowns Emerged Amid 19th-Century Racism Facing economic threats and violence, early Chinese immigrants banded together and created communities to survive—and thrive. Hawaii’s Long Road to Becoming America’s 50th State Hawaii became part of the union more than six decades after an illegal coup ousted the Native Hawaiian monarchy. 8 Groundbreaking Contributions by Asian Americans Through History From disease cures to influential tech to workers' rights, Asian American innovators have made huge impacts on people's lives. Japanese American Internment Internment The Pearl Harbor attack caused a wave of nationalist resentment that had long-reaching effects on the Japanese-American population. 1:26m watch 3 Ways Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Have Shaped U.S. Culture Surfing Native Hawaiians began surfing as far back as the 17th century. And while Christian missionaries tried to suppress the sport in the 1800s, a Hawaiian princess helped bring it back. K-Pop Before K-pop became a worldwide phenomenon, the Kim Sisters were among the first popular Korean crossover groups in the 1950s—selling out concerts in the U.S. and appearing on “The Ed Sullivan Show” 22 times. Hollywood's Golden Age Actors of East Asian descent often faced limited and typecast roles in Old Hollywood, but stars including Anna May Wong, James Shigeta and Nancy Kwan paved the way for future generations. Explore All Related Topics AllArticlesVideos Asian American, Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander History AANHPI FiguresAANHPI Events Hawai’ian Surfers Have Been Riding Waves Since the 17th Century A Hawaiian princess helped revive the ancient sport of surfing long before Gidget and Moondoggie hit the beach. Who Is Māui in Polynesian Mythology? The legendary demigod and trickster become a hero across Polynesia through centuries of oral tradition. How Japanese American Girls Boosted Military Morale From Inside Internment Camps While incarcerated, Japanese American girls were determined to support Nisei soldiers serving in World War II. Larry Itliong Larry Itliong was a Filipino American labor leader who organized West Coast farm workers, starting in the 1930s. He became well-known in the 1960s for spearheading the Delano grape strike and teaming with labor leaders Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta to demand farm workers' rights. Advertisement How the US and Japan Went From Enemies to Allies After WWII General Douglas MacArthur led a seven-year occupation that demilitarized, democratized and helped rebuild the Pacific nation. Asian American, Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander HistoryWhen 20,000 Asian Americans Won Garment Workers’ Rights In the summer of 1982, nearly 20,000 garment workers—mostly Asian American women—filled the streets of New York’s Chinatown in solidarity. Their strike won a decisive victory and challenged the “model minority” myth that still persists today. 8 Groundbreaking Contributions by Asian Americans Through History From disease cures to influential tech to workers' rights, Asian American innovators have made huge impacts on people's lives. The Chinese Immigrant Son Who Fought for Birthright Citizenship In 1898, Wong Kim Ark took on the U.S. government to affirm the principle of birthright citizenship via the 14th Amendment. Advertisement Advertisement Asian American, Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander HistoryKristi Yamaguchi's American Story Before Kristi Yamaguchi became an Olympic star, her family faced a challenging road both in war and at home in America. 1:02m watch Asian American, Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander HistoryMakoto Hagiwara Popularizes the Fortune Cookie It's 1914 and visitors to the Japanese Tea Garden in San Francisco are about to have their fortunes told—by a cookie created by the garden's caretaker, Makoto Hagiwara. 1:00m watch Asian American, Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander History5 Trailblazing Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders Discover five history-making figures in the AANHPI community who redefined the American story. 9:46m watch Asian American, Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander HistoryThe Spirit That Built America: Pedro Flores Revolutionizes the Yo-Yo In the 1920s, Filipino busboy Pedro Flores transformed how Americans played with the yo-yo. 0:58m watch Advertisement The 8-Year-Old Chinese American Girl Who Helped Desegregate Schools—in 1885 Mamie Tape's bid to desegregate San Francisco schools went to the California Supreme Court seven decades before Brown v. Board. Hells Canyon Massacre In May 1887, around 30 Chinese laborers were mining gold in an isolated part of northeast Oregon, when the entire group was gunned down by a white gang of horse thieves. Initially referred to as the “Hells Canyon Massacre” or “Snake River Massacre” and the “Chinese Massacre at Deep Creek,” the event is considered one of the deadliest attacks against Chinese-Americans in U.S. history. The Rock Springs Massacre The Rock Springs Massacre began as a labor dispute in the territory of Wyoming between white and Chinese coal miners. The dispute led to violence by white mobs on September 2, 1885 that left 28 Chinese miners dead and 15 others wounded. These Photos Show the Harsh Reality of Life in WWII Japanese American Internment Camps More than 100,000 Japanese Americans were sent to 'War Relocation Centers' between 1942 and 1946. Load more Advertisement