Congress passed legislation that annually designated May as Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. Congress chose May because two important anniversaries occurred during this month. On May 7. 1843. the first Japanese immigrants arrived in America. May 10 is the anniversary of the transcontinental railroads completion in 1869. Many of the workers who laid the tracks for this railroad were Chinese immigrants. These two dates only begin to describe the innumerable contributions that Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have made to this country. The AAPI community of over 18 million draws from a variety of distinct cultures. each of which has enriched American society and challenged our Nation to aspire to be better.
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