Bridle Path Elementary School

Asian American and Pacific Islander History Month
The effort to officially recognize Asian American and Pacific Islander contributions to the United States began in the late 1970s. In 1977, New York representative Frank Horton and Hawaii Senator Daniel Inouye introduced separate joint resolutions proclaiming the first ten days of May as Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week. Neither resolution passed so representative Horton introduced another resolution the following year, which requested the president to proclaim a week during the first 10 days of May starting in 1979 as Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week.

President Carter signed Public Law 95-419 on October 5, 1978. In 1990, Congress expanded the observance from a week to a month. May was designated as Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month in 1992 during the George H.W Bush administration.