UNITED States President Joe Biden paid tribute to the strength of Filipino Americans as the country celebrates October as Filipino American History Month.
The commander-in-chief took to social media to “celebrate” the “innumerable contributions and rich heritage” of the Fil-Am community.
“Jill and I are proud to recognize Filipino American History Month and celebrate the innumerable contributions and rich heritage of Filipino Americans across our nation,” Biden wrote in a message posted on Twitter and Facebook.
The message continued with, “We support, honor, and thank you for all you have done to help fulfill the promise of America for all of us.”
In the U.S., October has been commemorated as Fil-Am History Month, following Congress’ declaration in November 2009. The month was chosen to mark the recorded presence in the continental United States as far back as October 1587.
October 1992 was the first time that Filipino American History Month (FAHM) was celebrated in the United States – a year after FANHS passed a proclamation (spearheaded by Fred Cordova). Since then, FAHM has been celebrated annually all over the country – with initiatives by FANHS chapters, local community nonprofit groups, government organizations, and college student organizations.
The “advancement of Filipino Americans and as a time to renew efforts toward the examination of history and culture in order to provide an opportunity for all people in the U.S. to learn more about Filipino Americans and their historic contributions to the Nation,” read Congress’ proclamation.
Last year, Biden also recognized the month by highlighting the contributions of Fil-Ams during World War II and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
He acknowledged the service and sacrifices of Filipino Americans frontliners during the pandemic, saying they are an “essential part” of the strength and diversity of the U.S.
The Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS) announced the FAHM 2022 theme as “Celebrating Our History and Legacies: 50 Years of Filipino American Studies, 40 Years of the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS), and 30 years of Filipino American History Month.”
