Embracing AAPI Histories and Students All Year Long

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month is an invitation to pay attention to the history, identities, and stories of Asian and Pacific Islander American (AAPI) peoples. It is also a chance for educators to better understand and support AAPI students. As AAPI people continue to be victimized by increased acts of racist violence in the wake of the pandemic, educators face additional challenges around how to support students from those communities⁠, lend historical context to these harrowing events, and stand against anti-Asian racism. As Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month comes to an end and we move into the summer months, we invite you to check out our newest resources on these subjects and use them all year long:

Professional Development & Lifelong Learning

Centering AAPI Students in the Classroom: An Expert Interview 

In this interview, Dr. Guofang Li and Dr. Nicholas D. Hartlep—leading scholars of Asian-American Education—discuss some of the unique challenges faced by AAPI students and share insights that all educators can use to serve members of these communities more effectively.

15 Books on AAPI Experiences

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month offers a valuable opportunity to evaluate the kinds of reading materials we are sharing with students throughout the year, and to consider whether Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) experiences need to have a greater presence. Now  is the perfect time to deepen our understanding of the richness of Asian American and Pacific Islander history, as well as the community's immense resilience and creativity. Here, we detail 15 books for any educator or student eager to learn more about the struggles, resilience, and triumphs of AAPI people.

Historical Teaching Materials & Survivor Testimony

The Legacies of Chinese Exclusion

The Chinese Exclusion Act marked the first law to restrict US immigration on the basis of race. This resource includes activities intended to engage students in an exploration of the historical context and consequences of the 1882 legislation, drawing connections between the exclusion era and today. They also invite students to analyze a letter of protest from Chinese immigrant Saum Song Bo and consider how immigrants themselves played a role in shaping notions of democracy and citizenship within a polity that excluded them.

Teaching Farewell to Manzanar

Jeanne Wakatsuki was seven years old in 1942 when the United States government authorized the forced relocation of all Japanese Americans on the West Coast to internment camps. Teaching Farewell to Manzanar interweaves a literary analysis of Jeanne’s memoir with an exploration of the relevant historical context surrounding her experience. This guide provides engaging activities, teaching strategies, and recommended media to structure your students' reading of the memoir.

Japanese American Incarceration in WWII: A US History Inquiry

March 21, 1942, marks the date that Congress authorized the federal courts to enforce President Roosevelt’s Executive Order 9066, sanctioning the forced removal and incarceration of Japanese Americans on the West Coast in incarceration camps. This C3-aligned inquiry explores both the conditions that led to Japanese incarceration during WWII and what we can learn from the stories of Japanese Americans who stood up for their democratic rights and freedoms in response. 

George Takei on Surviving Incarceration & Embracing Democracy

In a public engagement with Facing History, acclaimed actor George Takei addressed the audience about the importance of continued civic engagement even when we have been subjected to deep injustice. Weaving elements of his life and family story into the discussion, he explored the importance of choosing active civic engagement even in the face of racism.