By Leonard Chan

I’ve been thinking about this article for twenty years now. Twenty years ago, I wrote my last editorial on what was then called Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. Back then I was complaining about the lack of good TV programming and having AAPI Heritage month in May instead of a month when school was fully in session.

My main complaint was how the month was being perceived as more of a cultural event instead of what the creators of the month had intended – which was to honor the achievements of Asian Pacific “Americans” and to recognize their contributions to the “United States.”

After reading what I wrote twenty years ago I found a lot of the links that I had in those articles are now broken (please don’t click on them, just do your own research). Even so, I’m kind of surprised that what I wrote still holds up. We’re not going to get a different month for AAPI Heritage Month, but I’m glad that twenty years later, we are still celebrating it.

Here’s what I wrote at the end of my editorial:

Do we need Ethnic History/Heritage Months?

Actor Morgan Freeman in a 60 Minutes television interview was quoted as saying “You're going to relegate my history to a month? I don't want a Black History Month. Black history is American history.”

But this statement is a little like the debate over affirmative action - when are things finally at an equal and or fairly represented state at which time you can finally have no need for such things as an Ethnic History/Heritage Month? Are we there yet? Will we still need such months when we get there?

Besides for the self-esteem reasons of giving young people role models that look more like themselves, heritage months serve a societal purpose in letting all Americans know that each ethnic group has served a valuable role in shaping this nation. Knowing this simple truth helps ease the tension between the ethnic groups. No one group can claim complete superiority in its significance to America. All of the diverse groups have been important to this country and all us will continue to play a vital role.

Asian Pacific American Heritage Month is needed. As long as we are able to identify ourselves as being of different groups, there will always be a need to celebrate and make known our diversity, differences, and heritage. Having a dedicate month in which to do this is certainly preferable to little or none.

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To read this editorial and the article written in prior years, go to the following links –

(May 2006)

Why May and is it Still Needed?: Asian Pacific American Heritage Month's Origins

(May 2005)

Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and TV: An Evaluation of Local Broadcasting

An Idea for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month: Let's Move It

(June 2004)

May: The Forgotten Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month by Ellen Lee