May is Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Celebrate the stories of the Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities that have shaped the United States with the Alachua County Library District.
AANHPI Heritage Month started in 1978 when congress established Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week. In 1992, the observance was expanded to include the entire month of May. May was chosen to mark the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants in the United States, and to memorialize the Chinese workers who completed the transcontinental railroad in May of 1869.
According to the 2020 census, an estimated 24 million Americans identify as Asian and 1.6 million identify as Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. Over the past two decades, Asian Americans have seen the fastest population growth of any American racial or ethnic group, increasing 81 percent.
Explore the stories of Asian Americans this month with books and movies for all ages in our collection. Check out great stories in print from your favorite branch or enjoy them instantly with our digital and streaming services. Take a deeper dive and learn the basics of Hindi, Mandarin, Indonesian, Thai, and other languages using our Transparent Language online tool.