Initially founded in 1977, Asian Pacific American Heritage Month (APAHM) honors and recognizes Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) people in the United States and their contributions that enhance and enrich U.S. American history. While the heritage month is nationally recognized during the month of May, Clemson celebrates APAHM during the month of April.
On the national level, May is Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month – a celebration of Asians and Pacific Islanders in the United States. A rather broad term, Asian/Pacific encompasses all of the 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). Initially Asian/Pacific American week, the celebration was extended to a month in 1900 and May was designated as Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month with the the passage of Public Law 102-450.
