Established by the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS) in 1992, the month of October is recognized as Filipino American History Month (FAHM) celebrating the first recorded presence of Filipinos in the United States on October 18, 1587. Filipino American History Month serves to preserve, present, and celebrate Filipino American heritage and history.
The roots of the Filipino community in Hawai'i can be traced back to 1906, when 15 workers traveled to Hawai'i from the Philippines to work on the sugar plantations. Filipino American History Month became officially recognized by Hawai'i in 2008 and today roughly 25% of Hawai'i's population are either Filipino or part-Filipino, making them the second largest ethnic group in the state.
The FAHM theme for 2021 is "50 Years Since the First Young Filipino People's Far West Convention" and celebrates the 50th anniversary of the First Young Filipino's Far West Convention. This meeting, which took place in 1971, brought together more than 300 Filipino American participants from across the west coast of the US and is recognized as the beginning of the Filipino American Movement.
Tenorio, L. A. (2020). The son of good fortune : a novel (First edition.). Ecco, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Print. Fiction Bestsellers.
"From award-winning author Lysley Tenorio, comes a big hearted debut novel following an undocumented Filipino son as he navigates his relationship with his mother, an uncertain future, and the place he calls home" -- Provided by publisher.
"A masterfully constructed story of identity and ambition and an authentic portrait of one unforgettable Filipino family" -- Kirkus Reviews.
Carbó, N. (1995). Returning a borrowed tongue : poems by Filipino and Filipino American writers. Coffee House Press. Print. Poetry.
"Written in English, the poems of Returning a Borrowed Tongue reflect a relationship with the English language that spans almost a century. In the early years of US colonization, Filipino poets were forced to "borrow" a foreign tongue; today, fifty years after independence, they return the borrowed tongue with lyrical poems about migration, immigration, exile, nostalgia, desire, poverty, exploitation, racism, American culture, love, and invisibility" -- Provided by publisher.
"A major collection of contemporary poetry, Returning a borrowed Tongue brings Filipino/Filipino American poets from both sides of the Pacific Ocean together for the first time" -- Provided by publisher.
Skinner, M. C. (2009). In the company of strangers. Bamboo Ridge Press. Print. Fiction Short Stories.
"Sixteen deceptively simple stories comprise Michelle Cruz Skinner’s much-anticipated follow-up to Balikbayan and Mango Seasons, many of them about Filipinos tongue-tied and alienated in the motherland, or scattered across the map of heartaches and homesickness in the company of strangers called countrymen, family, lovers. A book of quiet gems definitely worth the wait." -- R. Zamora Linmark
Michelle Cruz Skinner was born in Manila and raised in the Phillipines and has achieved critical acclaim within the Filipino American literary community for her tales of everyday life. Cruz, who now lives in Honolulu, was selected for the PEN Syndicated Fiction Project and and her second book was nominated for the 1996 Philippine National Book Award.
Carbó, N., & Tabios, E. (2000). Babaylan : an anthology of Filipina and Filipina American writers (First edition.). Aunt Lute Books. Print. Fiction.
The tradition of women's writing in the Philippines can be traced back to the pre-hispanic era, where priestess-poets called babaylans provided healing, wisdom, and direction to the inhabitants of their towns through morality stories, myths, poems, prayers, and chants.
"The first anthology to bring together the work of Filipina women authors, this collection explores Filipina identity as a meeting place of Asian & American cultures" -- Provided by publisher.
"With contributions from over 60 writers - both Filipina and Filipina American - Babaylan provides readers with a comprehensive view of a growing and vibrant transnational literary culture" -- Provided by publisher.
Brainard, C. M. (2010). Growing up Filipino II : more stories for young adults (First edition.). PALH. Print. Fiction Short Stories.
Growing Up Filipino II is a collection of 27 short stories written by Filipino writers in the United States, the Philippines, and Canada. Organized into sections of Family, Angst, Friendship, Love, and Home, the short stories and memoirs in this collection explore the challenges of Filipino adolescence and youth and discuss themes such as coming of age, family, and relationships.
Jamero, P., Bacho, P., Cordova, D.L. & Cordova, F. (2011). Growing Up Brown: Memoirs of a Filipino American. University of Washington Press. eBook.
Peter Jamero's memoir of hardship and success examines the experiences of what he calls the bridge generation -- the American-born children of the Filipinos recruited as farm workers in the 1920s and 30s. Their experiences span the gap between the early immigrants and the Filipinos that owe their US residency to the liberalization of immigration laws in 1965. Jamero recounts his early life living in a farm-labor camp in Livingston, California, and also his path that took him through naval service and graduate school to become a longtime community activist and civic leader.
Tiongson, A. (2013). Filipinos Represent: DJs, Racial Authenticity, and the Hip-Hop Nation. University of Minnesota Press. eBook.
Through interviews with second-generation San Francisco Bay Area-based Filipino American DJs and the examination of hip-hop literature, Tiongson explores how Filipino Americans have carved out their own niche within hip-hop and DJ culture. Filipinos Represent examines racial identity and authenticity in hip-hop and how Filipino Americans legitimize and explore their own identity and culture within the context of hip-hop.
Gapultos, M. (2018). Pulutan! Filipino Bar Bites, Appetizers and Street Eats: (Filipino cookbook with over 60 Easy-to-Make Recipes). Tuttle Publishing. eBook.
Pulutan, derived from the Filipino word pulot or "to pick up with the fingers", refers to appetizers, finger foods, and street foods that are best enjoyed alongside an alcoholic beverage. In Pulutan!, Chef Marvin Gapultos, founder of Los Angeles' first Filipino food truck and one of the leading voices on Filipino cuisine, presents his unique take on over 60 tasty drink and appetizer recipes that have been inspired or influenced by Filipino cuisine ranging from easy to moderate difficulty.
Silencio. (1997). Center for Asian American Media.
This short film takes place in San Francisco, 1951, focusing on the experience of a young Filipino American trying to adjust to his predominantly Caucasian workplace. It explores the subtleties of how racism affects members of a multi-ethnic family, most tellingly when a mixed-blood sibling denies his ethnic heritage and 'passes' as an Italian American in order to fit in.
Aquino, B., Liongson, R., Lanzona, V. A., Arre, G., & Miyazono, S. (2014). Cultures of Hawaiʻi. Filipino American culture in Hawaii. Video Technology Group, Hawaii State Department of Education.
Historians discuss the history of Filipino Americans in Hawaiʻi, and the role of The Filipino Community Center. The video features archival footage of early plantation workers, known as sakadas.
Shelton, T., Fabros, A. S., & Pike, R. (2011). Unsung heroes : Hawaii’s fighting Filipinos ; An untold triumph : America’s Filipino soldiers ; On to Bataan. [Wong Audiovisual Center, University of Hawaii at Manoa].
Unsung heroes: Tells the story of Filipinos from the United States and Hawaiʻi and their involvement in World War II (48 min.).
An untold triumph: Examines the stigma and prejudice that hung over Filipino immigrants in America before and after World War II (22 min.).
On to Bataan: Features the formation of the 1st Filipino Infantry Regiment during World War II which included Filipino Americans from Hawaii (5 min.).
