4 Sites To Learn About Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage

From time to time, an industry or subject inspires us to create a best-of list. These are sites that produce out-of-this-world coverage in a crowded arena. In case you’ve missed some, you can find them here. In this edition, we’re recognizing a few Asian American news and heritage sites that should be on your radar. If you think your site should be considered, give us a holler and tell us why.

The month of May can mean many things to a lot of people. Cinco de Mayo and Mother’s Day are celebrated along with the beginning of summer vacation for many college and grade school students. More recently it has been rediscovered and promoted as Asian Pacific American Heritage Month in the United States.

There is an incredible lack of knowledge and education around Asian and Pacific Island history and culture. At the same time, we’re witnessing an explosion of AAPI cultural productions.

We’ve compiled a short list of resources for you to bolster your self-education regarding AAPI history and culture.

1. AsianPacificHeritage.gov

Hosted by the Library of Congress, the Asian Pacific Heritage government website is a great resource for those wanting to access a credible site with a variety of topics and mediums. There are videos, audio clips and literature from a wide range of Asian cultures.

My favorite part is the section for teachers, which includes lesson plans, student activities and more to help educators bring AAPI culture to the classroom. This site really does think of its audience and we can thank the Library of Congress for that.

Stories to read right now: Patsy Takemoto Mink, First Woman of Color in Congress; and Audio and Video Library.

Follow @librarycongress on Twitter.

Rep. Patsy Mink became the first woman of color & the first Asian American woman to serve in the U.S. Congress when she won the 1964 election. She represented the people of Hawaii & is perhaps best known for her work on Title IX. #AAPI #AAPIHeritageMonthhttps://t.co/7azZ6PBt3k pic.twitter.com/X0F1tbolVr

— Library of Congress (@librarycongress) May 2, 2022

2. Asia Society

The Asia Society website tells the history and displays the variety of Asian cultures from the perspective of Asian Americans. At first glance, it appears to be an organization based in Texas but in reality, was founded in New York and has a national cultural center in Houston. Topics on the site include policy, education, arts, current affairs and more.

The Asia Society “fosters insight, encourages engagement, elevates regional voices, informs and educates new audiences, addresses complex – and where necessary – contentious challenges, engages in creative problem-solving, and helps deliver real solutions for the benefit of all.”

Stories to read right now: Teaching Truth To Power; and Raising Global Citizens.

Follow @AsiaSociety on Twitter.

Join us in celebrating Asian Pacific American Heritage Month! Virtually or in person, highlights from Asia Society centers around the world include cooking classes, author talks, dance performances, galas, and much more. Visit https://t.co/WqqCcX51GX for the complete schedule. pic.twitter.com/03i94YfPlW

— Asia Society (@AsiaSociety) May 2, 2022

3. National Parks Service: Celebrates!

This one may feel like it’s coming out of left field, but it only takes a quick look into the NPS Celebrates! page to see why it’s included. The U.S. covers a large area of the globe’s surface, including Guam, Hawaii and American Samoa to name a few.

As a result, there are beautiful geographic areas that need protection by our National Parks Services. One way the employed rangers protect these areas is by educating visitors on the history and people that held and protected the land before Americans arrived.

Stories to read right now: Explore Asian American & Pacific Islander Stories; and Chinese History in Yosemite.

Follow @Natlparkservice on Twitter.

During Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and throughout the year, the @NatlParkService and our partners share the history and the continuing culture thriving in parks and communities today. https://t.co/N1mnLghRoK#AAPIHeritageMonth pic.twitter.com/6nWmNfKLFi

— National Park Service (@NatlParkService) May 2, 2022

4. History Channel

The History Channel, part of A&E Television Networks, has been broadcasting since January 1995. The channel and website still hold true to the original History Channel mission of educating the masses.

This site takes a deep dive into the dark American tradition of oppressing our Asian American and Pacific Islander brothers and sisters. These reads include compelling videos for the visual learners. 

Stories to read right now: Japanese-American Internment; For the Original K-Pop Stars, Survival Depended on Making it in America; and Asian American Milestones: Timeline.

Follow @HISTORY on Twitter.

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month begins today and is an annual celebration that recognizes the historical and cultural contributions of individuals and groups of Asian and Pacific Islander descent to the United States. #AAPIHeritageMonth https://t.co/GPAiIlv1cA

— HISTORY (@HISTORY) May 1, 2022

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Oscar Duran works as a Senior Account Executive. Check out his previous posts for Beyond Bylines and connect on Instagram. When he’s not working, Oscar can be found producing content for his podcast, being an advocate for the underprivileged, or traveling.