Art deco sun with eight rays in colors of blue, red, and white, with a smaller gold sun design in the center and three gold stars representing the flag and colors of the Philippines. Blue text: Emerson College.

Filipino American History Month – Fall 2023

During the month of October we celebrate Filipino American History Month, which was first established by the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS) in 1992. The month of October was chosen as it marks the first time Filipino settlers landed in North America as sailors aboard a trade ship. The Philippines are a group of 7,641 islands in the western Pacific Ocean, colonized by both Spain and the United States, before gaining independence in 1946. As the second largest Asian American ethnic group in the United States, Filipino Americans have made an indelible impact on our communities.

Please take time to learn more about Filipino culture and history by exploring the events, resources, and information below.

Emerson Resources

Emi Bague (she/her) is a Filipino American Emersonian. She is the Associate Director, International Student Career Services, with the Career Development Center.

Emi’s parents immigrated to the U.S. from the Philippines in the late ’60s. She was born and raised in the Boston area and has close ties to a local community called Iskwelahang Pilipino (Filipino School). Established in 1976, it is the first cultural school of its kind in the U.S. and a model for many throughout the country.

Emi would be happy to meet with anyone interested in connecting around the Filipino American experience and can be reached at emi_bague@emerson.edu.

Tonight! Filipino American History Month Celebration. Food, games, and fun. Thursday, October 5, 8-10 PM EST. Cultural Center, 172 Tremont. Image of hand waving flag of the Philippines.

 

Learn More

October is Filipino American History Month. FAHM 2023 Theme: 1898: Recognizing 125 Years of Philippine-American History.Instagram post: October is Filipino American History Month! What does that mean?! Link to @FilledMarket 10 Ways to Celebrate Filipino American History Month from Google Arts and Culture

Celebration and awareness are interdependent and interconnected. Here are a few lesser known stories that provide context to social justice concerns for the Filipino American community.

The story of farm labor organizer Larry Itliong and a group of Filipino farm workers who instigated one of the American farm labor movement’s finest hours – The Delano Grape Strike of 1965 that brought about the creation of the United Farm Workers Union (UFW).

Filipino American History Month - October 1, 2023. Background image of flag of the Philippines surrounding by trees.