Filipino/American National Historical Society Museum opens in Stockton

FANHS photo

Some of the panels telling the history of Filipino Americans are from the Smithsonian.

By Louis Chan
REPRINTED FROM ASAM NEWS

THE NATION'S FIRST MUSEUM dedicated to the history of Filipino/Americans will officially open on Saturday (Oct. 8) in Stockton, California.

The California city was chosen as the site of the Filipino American National Historical Society Museum due to its large Filipino/American population and its historical significance to the Filipino community.

It was the home to many Filipino migrant farmworkers and at one point such historical figures as Larry Itliong, Carlos Bulosan, Philip Vera Cruz, Chris Mensalvas, Ernesto Mangaoang and Andy Imutan all worked in the city.

The idea of a museum was first approved by the board of the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS) in 1994.

“We feel that getting the history of Filipino/Americans out to the public has been a long time coming and now there is a place that they can go to and learn all about it – even school children can come by on their field trips if they wanted to,”said Terri Torres, Treasurer/Secretary of FANHS said to AsAmNews.

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• Legacy of the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair
• Filipino veterans: Shameful anniversary for U.S. Congress
• Larry Itliong Day passed by the California Assembly
• 50th Anniversary of the Grape Strike
• Unsung heroes on Memorial Day

“A lot of work had to be done to raise funds, to figure out where, to learn how to run a Museum / business, etc. We are just a historical society and our main activity is to collect the history of Filipino Americans across the US, record it, save it, and disseminate it – so building a Museum was a huge learning curve for us.”

Exhibits include a timeline of Filipinos in America starting in 1587 when the first Filipino and Asian Americans arrived in what is now the United States – 33 years before the pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock.

Many of the panels come from a traveling exhibition sponsored by the Smithsonian which ended in 2012.

Other highlights include a section on Filipino boxers and martial artists, contemporary motorcyclists and early local Filipino churches.

There is 1,000 square feet of space for the exhibits. A free open house will be held Saturday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. The Museum is located at 337 E Weber Ave – inside the old Newberry Building in Stockton.

“Hopefully they (visitors) will remember the history and the contributions that the Filipino Americans have made to make this country great,” said Torres.

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President proclaims October as Filipino American History Month

Official White House Photo by Pete Souza

President Barack Obama watches the sun set over Manila Bay from his balcony in Manila

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA proclaimed October as Filipino/American History Month last Saturday. Below is the proclamation.

THE WHITE HOUSE

WASHINGTON

October 1, 2016

I am pleased to join in celebrating Filipino-American History Month and in recognizing Filipino Americans across our country for the many ways they have enriched our society.

An unshakable faith in the promise of America has guided people to our shores since our founding. When they arrived, many of those who first settled here suffered setbacks and faced challenges in their pursuit of the American dream. But with relentless optimism, they held their heads high and laid down their roots—building our country into the beacon of hope it is today.

The earliest Filipinos arrived at Morro Bay, California in the 16th century, and Filipino Americans have long played an integral role in shaping the life of our country. They have been the artists who challenge us, the educators who keep us informed, and the laborers of our growing economy. And throughout our history, they have served as members of our Armed Forces, helping safeguard our Nation and the values upon which we stand.

During World War II, Filipino Americans stepped forward to join our military and fight back the tide of tyranny. Many of these individuals have since petitioned for family members to join them here through our legal immigration system but have waited years to be reunited, even after their petitions were approved. This year, my Administration launched the Filipino World War II Veterans Parole program, which enables certain Filipino-American veterans to request that their family members join them in the United States as they wait for their green cards. For many, this policy will allow loved ones to provide support and care for elderly veterans and their spouses. This program is an important reminder that we must suppose those who serve our Nation not just in times of war, but throughout their lives. 

As we mark this special month, we celebrate the ways Filipino Americans have lent their unique voices and talents to changing our country for the better. Their immeasurable contributions to our Nation reaffirm that as Americans we will always be bound to each other in common purpose and by our shared hopes for the future.

1946: A turning point in Filipino American history

On Feb. 18, 1946, the Rescission Act was signed taking away the rights, benefits and honors promised to 250,000 Filipino WWII veterans who fought with the American soldiers against the invading Japanese military.

OCTOBER is Filipino American History Month. The month will be observed throughout the United States with concerts, dances, symposiums, speeches and proclamations.

The Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS) has made “1946: A Turning Point” as the theme for this year’s observance. October was selected because of the first recorded presence of Filipinos in the continental U.S. on Oct. 18, 1587, "Luzon's Indios" came ashore from the Spanish galleon Nuestra Señora de Esperanza and landed at what is now Morro Bay, California.

According to the FANHS website, the theme was chosen to commemorate the 70th Anniversary of several notable events and pieces of legislation that transformed the lives of Filipinos in the Philippines and in the United States in 1946 such as the following:

• The Rescission Act barred veterans in the Philippines from receiving GI Bill benefits was signed in Feb., 1946 by President Harry Truman, who said: "Philippine Army veterans are nationals of the United States and will continue in that status until July 4, 1946. They fought, as American nationals, under the American flag, and under the direction of our military leaders. They fought with gallantry and courage under most difficult conditions during the recent conflict. Their officers were commissioned by us. Their official organization, the Army of the Philippine Commonwealth, was taken into the Armed forces of the United States by executive order of the President of the United States on July 26, 1941. That order has never been revoked or amended. I consider it a moral obligation of the United States to look after the welfare of Philippine Army veterans.”
  
• The Luce-Celler Bill on July 2, 1946 granted access to naturalization for all Filipinos who had come to the United States before March 1934 and for all Indian immigrants in the United States, however Filipino and Indian immigration was limited to 100 per year. 
• The Philippines, a colony of the United States since 1898, was granted its independence on July 4, 1946. 

In November of 2009, both the United States House of Representatives and Senate passed laws – House Resolution 780 and Senate Resolution 298 respectively, officially recognizing October as Filipino American History Month in the United States. Various states, counties and cities in the U.S. have since followed suit and have established proclamations and resolutions declaring observance of Filipino American History Month in their regions. The late Dr. Fred Cordova, who along with his wife Dorothy founded FANHS, first introduced October as Filipino American History Month in 1992 with a resolution from the FANHS National Board of Trustees. 

RELATED:

• Legacy of the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair
• Filipino veterans: Shameful anniversary for U.S. Congress
• Larry Itliong Day passed by the California Assembly
• 50th Anniversary of the Grape Strike
• Unsung heroes on Memorial Day

Throughout the nation, the 34 FANHS Chapters, colleges and universities, museums, and other community groups, will be commemorating Filipino American History Month with various activities and events to bring awareness of the valuable contributions Filipinos have made to the fabric of American society. For information about activities in your area, click here.

Take a look at last year's opening history-making observance of Filipino American History Month at the White House.

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FIL-AM HISTORY MONTH: White House celebrates Filipino American History Month

'STAND UP AND BE PROUD TO BE PINOY"

Filipino American Trailblazers at the White House on Sept. 30, from left to right: Cristeta Comerford, White House Executive Chef, Apl.de.ap, co-founder of the Black Eyed Pease; Cassandra "Cassie" Ventura, singer; Geena Rocero, model/founder of Gender Proud; Jo Koy, comedian; Ronnie del Carmen, co-director at Pixar Animation Studios and moderator Billy Dec, member of the President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders.

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA proclaimed October as Filipino American Heritage Month. He invited prominent Filipino Americans to the a conference at the White House.

"Generations of Filipino Americans have lent their unique voices to the vibrant diversity of origins, cultures and communities, that make  American what it is," said Obama in a statement read at the White House event, which hosted the event for the first-time, a history-making moment in itself.

“Seventy years ago, the United States and our allies overcame forces of tyranny and oppression that threatened not only the Pacific but the entire world—a victory made possible in part by thousands of Filipino-Americans who fought for our nation but who for far too long were denied the compensation they had earned,” the President said.

"Fifty years ago, courageous farm workers in Delano helped bring about progress that would forever change the labor movement," he said, "both within the Filipno-American community and for our country as a whole."

“You know, it’s a good indicator that you’ve arrived when you don’t only have your own month but that the White House is saying they want to celebrate it, too,” said Nani Coloretti, the keynote speaker who is the highest ranking Filipino-American in the Obama administration. Coloretti is deputy secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Its important to acknowledge your roots, said the Maui-born and raised Coloretti. Her grandfather was a labor organizer in the sugar cane industry.

Nani Coloretti

The Filipino American National Historical Society announced that the theme of this year’s celebration would be “1965: Tipping Point for the Filipino American Community” to commemorate the 50th anniversary of three momentous events, the organization’s national president Mel Orpilla said. In 1965, the Immigration and Nationality Act was passed and Filipino farm workers (Larry Itliong, Philip Vera Cruz and many more manongs) lead the Delano Grape Strike. Additionally, at that time, Filipino American men were either enlisting in the military or fighting in the Vietnam War.

The three-hour event at the White House included a panel of "trailblazers." Its worth your time to listen to the hour-long video below. There are lots of tidbits, information and inspiration from these standouts in their respective professions. 

“As a community we need to collaborate, reach out, and not be ashamed to represent our culture,” Apl said.

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Celebration of the 50th anniversary of Delano grape strike this Labor Day weekend.

Filipino/American labor leader Larry Itliong, left, and Cesar Chavez, right, joined forces.

THE MOMENTOUS SIGNIFICANCE OF THE Grape Strike of 1965 cannot be underestimated. It is important not only in the annals of Filipino American history, but in the history of the United States. Appropriately, the event will be observed and celebrated this Labor Day Weekend in Delano, California, where the strike began.

The newly formed Delano chapter and its parent organization, the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS), will host a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Delano Grape Strike with a series of events this Sept. 5 and 6, in Delano with most of the activities centering around the Filipino Community Hall where the historic vote to strike and launch the grape boycott took place.

Dubbed “Bold Step,” the weekend will focus on that momentous decision to strike, and celebrate the strike’s legacy in the Filipino American community in Delano and across the nation. 

The weekend’s events will kick off on Saturday, Sept. 5 at the Filipino Community Hall, the historic building where the strike vote was taken and the headquarters of the first years of the Grape Strike. The program will include presentations by strike veterans, scholars, community activists, and local community leaders. A highlight of the weekend will be a screening of the Emmy-award winning documentary, Delano Manongs: Forgotten Heroes of the United Farm Workers. New York-based filmmaker Marissa Aroy, whose family roots are in Delano, will be present. The weekend will also include bus tours of local historic sites.

Click here for a complete schedule of events marking this anniversary.

The Delano Grape Strike began on September 8, 1965, when thousands of mostly Filipino American grape workers walked off of the vineyards in Delano, California. According to the AmerAsia Journal, it was a pivotal moment in which Filipino/Americans made their largest and most significant imprint on the American labor history. That bold step taken by these Filipino workers — most of whom were senior citizens in the twilight of their lives — inspired labor movements and movements for civil rights and social justice amongst Filipino Americans and Americans of all backgrounds.

The Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee union (AWOC, AFL-CIO), led by labor leaders such as Larry Itliong, Pete Velasco, Andy Imutan and Philip Vera Cruz, forced the larger union made up mostly of Mexican American workers and led by Cesar Chavez, to join the boycott. The merger of the two unions led to the formation of the one of the most significant social justice movements in American history. From the strike came the multiethnic farm laborer’s union, the United Farm Workers.

In 1965, Filipino/American farm workers took the bold step to strike and launch a boycott of table grapes.

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