May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, an annual celebration of the nation’s 20 million Asian-Americans, Pacific Islanders and their contributions.
The Postal Service includes about 50,000 employees who identify as Asian, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islanders. This represents approximately 7.9 percent of the postal workforce.
USPS honored these employees during this year’s Celebrate Diversity Month, which was held in April to help individuals from all walks of life gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of each other.
The Postal Service also celebrates the contributions of Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders through its stamp program. Recent releases include Year of the Rooster, the latest entry in the Celebrating Lunar New Year series, and the Lili’uokalani Gardens Priority Mail stamp.
The commemoration is held in May primarily for two reasons: The nation’s first Japanese immigrants arrived May 7, 1843, and the transcontinental railroad was completed May 10, 1869. Most of the workers who laid the tracks were Chinese immigrants.
The Asian Pacific American Heritage Month site has more information.