Administrative History of the AAPI Heritage Initiative

This is a brief administrative history of the Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Initiative.

On February 11, 2013, then Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced that the NPS would undertake an Asian American Pacific Islander Theme Study (.pdf | 120 kb). The purpose of the theme study was to investigate the stories, places, and people of Asian American and Pacific Island heritage.

On May 13, 2013, nearly 400 Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) from all walks of life gathered at the Department of the Interior for the White House Forum on Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage, where we discussed ways the Department, especially the National Park Service, can better tell the story of the AAPI experience in America and the contributions this vibrant community has made to our country and its future.

AAPI Heritage Initiative Partners included:

• 1882 Foundation
• Advisory Council on Historic Preservation
• Asian & Pacific Islander Americans in Historic Preservation
• Association for Asian American Studies
• National Council on Public History
• National Trust for Historic Preservation
• Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center
• South Asian American Digital Archives
• White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders
• Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience

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