Asians make up more than half of the world’s population. Yet without one frustrated woman, America wouldn’t be celebrating their heritage.
May 1 : Remembering Jeanie Jew, who turned her great-grandfather’s tragedy into a celebration of Asian heritage.
In 1976, America celebrated its Bicentennial, 200 years of independence, resilience, and progress. But as festivities unfolded across the nation, Jeanie Jew, a Capitol Hill staffer and fourth-generation Chinese American, noticed something painfully obvious:
Asian Americans were nowhere to be found.
No tributes. No acknowledgment. No mention. Yet her own family’s story was deeply intertwined with the American story.
Her great-grandfather had been one of thousands of Chinese laborers who helped build the transcontinental railroad — a project that literally united the country.
And for his efforts, he was met not with gratitude, but racism. He was beaten to death in a racially motivated attack.
Standing on the shoulders of that painful legacy, Jeanie Jew refused to let Asian American history be erased.
She took her idea to Capitol Hill. Jew proposed the creation of a week dedicated to honoring Asian American contributions. She found powerful allies in Congress, including Rep. Frank Horton and Rep. Norman Mineta.
Thanks to their efforts — and Jew’s unrelenting advocacy — Asian Pacific American Heritage Week was born in 1978.
The movement didn’t stop there. Over the next decade, advocates fought to expand the observance. In 1978, President Jimmy Carter signed the bill, officially establishing Asian Pacific American Heritage Week.
Because of Jeanie Jew’s vision, May is now a time to celebrate the stories, struggles, and achievements of millions of Americans — stories that might have otherwise been forgotten.
Her great-grandfather’s death became more than a tragedy. It became a call to remember. A call to honor. A call to make history visible.
