1In 1841, a 14-year-old Japanese fisherman named Manjiro was lost at sea. An American whaling ship found him and four friends on a small island. Manjiro chose to sail on with the kind captain. In May 1843, he arrived in Massachusetts. Many people call him the first Japanese immigrant to the United States. His arrival is one reason that May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

2The second reason is a railroad. On May 10, 1869, workers finished the first railroad across the country. Thousands of Chinese workers built the western part. They cut tunnels through snowy mountains, often by hand. But in the famous photo of that day, you can hardly see them. In 2019, their descendants came to the same place and took a new photo.

3The idea for the month came from a woman named Jeanie Jew. Her great-grandfather helped build that railroad. In 1978, President Jimmy Carter signed a law for a special week in May. In 1990, the week became a month. Then, in 1992, Congress made every May a heritage month.

4Today, more than 25 million people in the United States have Asian roots. Their families came from China, India, the Philippines, Korea, Japan, and many other places. In May, people enjoy festivals, music, and food like Spam musubi from Hawaii. They also learn hard lessons from history. During World War Two, about 120,000 Japanese Americans were sent to camps. In 1988, the government said sorry and paid the survivors. The month helps people remember all of these stories.