May is Asian and Pacific Islander Month

Asian Pacific American (now often referred to as Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander) Heritage Month is an annual observance in May that celebrates the history, achievements, and heritage of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States. May was chosen to commemorate two key events: the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants in 1843 and the completion of the transcontinental railroad in 1869, which was built by a majority of Chinese immigrants.