FILIPINO AMERICAN NATIONAL HISTORICAL SOCIETY

810 18th AVENUE, ROOM 100, SEATTLE, WA 98122 (206) 322-0204

http://www.fanhs-national.org <|> http://fanhsis25.blogspot.com

A Resolution

OCTOBER IS

FILIPINO AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH

WHEREAS, the Filipino American National Historical Society had declared the Year 1988 to be the 225th Anniversary of the Permanent Settlement of Filipinos in the Continental United States and had set into motion its year-long, national observance in order to focus on the story of our nation’s past from a new perspective by concentrating on the critically economic, cultural, social and other notable contributions Filipino Americans had made in countless ways toward the development of United States History; and

WHEREAS, efforts must continue to promote the study of Filipino American history and culture, so mandated in the mission statement of the Filipino American National Historical Society, because the role of Filipino Americans and those of other People of Color have been overlooked in the writings, teachings and learnings of United States History; and

WHEREAS, it is imperative for Filipino American youths to have positive role models and to instill in them the importance of education, complemented with the richness of their ethnicity and the values of their legacy; and

WHEREAS, the earliest documented proof of Filipino presence in the Continental United States falls on October 1587, more recently published by Lorraine Jacobs Crouchett in her book, Filipinos in California (1982), annotating John Walton Caughey in his book, California (1953), and that definitive dates of written landings on the shores of California have been recorded with the earliest on October 18, 1587, according to Crouchett, annotating H.R. Wagner’s Unamuno’s Voyage to California in 1587 in the Quarterly of the California Historical Society (July 1923), among others;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Trustees of the Filipino American National Historical Society establish Filipino American History Month and that it be observed annually and nationally throughout the United States and its Territories during the Month of October, commencing in the Year 1992 to mark the 405th Anniversary of the Presence of Filipinos in the Continental United States as a significant time to study the advancement of Filipino Americans in the history of the United States, as a favorable time of celebration, remembrance, reflection and motivation, and as a relevant time to renew more efforts towards research, examination and promulgation of Filipino American history and culture in order to provide an opportunity for all Americans to learn and appreciate more about Filipino Americans and their historic contributions to our nation, these United States of America.###

*Authorized and introduced by FANHS Trustee FRED CORDOVA, Founding President.

*Moved for its adoption by FANHS Trustee LOREA ACUSZAAR; and seconded by Trustee STEVE K. OH.

*Unanimously adopted also by FANHS Trustees PETER M. JAMERO, KAREN N. JOHNSTONE, treasurer, Dr. TETSUDEN KASHIMA, NANCY ORDONA KOSLOSKY, and LOURDES CERENO MARKLEY, secretary, in a special meeting of FANHS Trustees, presided by President TERESA ROMERO JAMERO and arranged by Executive Director DOROTHY LAIGO CORDOVA, on February 15, 1991, in Seattle.

*Submitted to the remaining FANHS Trustees for ratification on March 16, 1991.

Click HERE to Download a PDF of this

FANHS Filipino American History Month Resolution.

Then take it to your campus, city, county, or state officials to institute its observance. Salamat.

(originally from fanhs-national.org/history.html)

UPDATE:

The United States Congress passed the Resolution to Recognize October as Filipino American History Month nationally in 2009, 2010, and in 2011. Thank you to all the friends of FANHS nationwide and in D.C. who made it possible. Click here to read the September 29, 2010 Congressional Record: http://tinyurl.com/FAHM2010 and here to download the full text from 2009: http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getpage.cgi?dbname=2009_record&page=H12172&position=all and here for the Senate Resolution from October 5, 2011: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?r112:S05OC1-0040:/.

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See my blog for more Filipino American History Month info and links: http://divadiba.wordpress.com/tag/filipino-american-history-month/