The Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS) is proud to announce “Filipino Americans: Making History for 425 Years” as the theme for this October’s Filipino American History Month commemorations across the nation. The month of October was chosen because the first recorded presence of Filipinos in the continental United States occurred on Octber 18, 1587, when some “Luzones Indios” came ashore from a Spanish galleon at what is now Morro Bay, CA.
In November of 2009, both the United States House of Representatives and Senate official passed laws – House Resolution 780 and Senate Resolution 298, respectively, officially recognizing October as Filipino American History Month. “Much history-rich, enlightening, inspirational and at times sad-in four centuries in America has made the Filipino American experience to be a unique and instinctive odyssey deserving to be shared with all Americans and others of goodwill,” states Dr. Fred Cordova, who along with his wife Dorothy founded FANHS and first introduced October as Filipino American history Month in 1992.
Throughout the nation, the thirty FANHS Chapter, colleges and universities, museums, and other community groups, will be commemorating October with a number of activities and events. The San Francisco Bay Area will kick off the month with a day of activities at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco. The following weekend will feature the Filipino American jazz Festival to be held at the venerable Yoshi’s Jazz Clubs in San Francisco and Oakland. This year’s featured performer will be Joe Bataan, the Afro-Filipino King of Latin Soul. Other activities will take place in Oakland, Vallejo, Alameda, Sonoma and San Jose. For more information about these and other activities taking place during Filipino American history Month, please visit the FANHS website at www. FANHS-National.org
September 24, 2012
Mel Orpilla
(707) 477-1159