JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. -- Each year in May, Air Force District of Washington joins the nation to observe Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, which recognizes the vital contributions and achievements of Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, and Native Hawaiians to the American cultural tapestry.
On Oct. 23, 1992, Congress selected May for this celebration because it includes the anniversaries of the first Japanese immigrants arriving to the United States on May 7, 1843, and the completion of the first transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869, partially by the labor of thousands of Chinese immigrants.
The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month posters are part of a series commemorating the 75th Anniversary of World War II. Each set highlights the significant contributions of special observance groups towards achieving total victory in this watershed event. Each poster is reminiscent of the colors and styles found in the 1940’s Recruitment and Victory posters from the World War II era.
The term "Asia-Pacific Islands" includes the continent of Asia; the Pacific island groups of Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia; the island groups of the Western and Central Pacific, such as the Philippines and the Marianas; and Hawaii, the 50th U.S. state. About 5 percent of the U.S. population is of Asian or Pacific Islander descent.
(Source: Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute)