In 1992, the month of May was officially signed into law declaring it Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage month. It is to celebrate the history and includes Asian continent and the Pacific islands of Melanesia (New Guinea, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Fiji and the Solomon Islands), Micronesia (Marianas, Guam, Wake Island, Palau, Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Nauru and the Federated States of Micronesia) and Polynesia (New Zealand, Hawaiian Islands, Rotuma, Midway Islands, Samoa, American Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, Cook Islands, French Polynesia and Easter Island.

The choosing of the month of May has a history behind it. It is when the first Japanese immigrant entered the United States in 1843 and the completion of the transcontinental railroad in 1869.

There are some virtual and online events as well as some Lib Guides to read up more on Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.