Tulsa City-County Library wishes to recognize and celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month by sharing valuable resources and information regarding the national commemorative month and the AAPI community.

Use these free resources and your TCCL card to celebrate and learn about Asian American and Pacific Islander history and culture this month and all year round!

“Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AAPI Heritage Month) is an annual celebration that recognizes the historical and cultural contributions of individuals and groups of Asian and Pacific Islander descent to the United States. The AAPI umbrella term includes cultures from the entire Asian continent—including East, Southeast and South Asia—and the Pacific Islands of Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia.”

The quote above is from the Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month page from History.com. Read more HERE

Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage month is designated to recognize "the contributions and influence of Asian Americans and Pacific Islander Americans to the history, culture, and achievements of the United States." Originally, the month began as a week of recognition in 1978. Observance expanded to a full month more than ten years later in 1990.  The month of May was chosen to commemorate the first Japanese immigrants who moved to the United States on May 7, 1843, and to mark the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869. The majority of the workers who laid the tracks were Chinese immigrants.

Explore Asian countries and Pacific Islands with CultureGrams

CultureGrams World Edition offers an expansive way to explore countries worldwide. Access it at www.tulsalibrary.org/databases, then log in with your last name and TCCL card. From the homepage, click World Wide then select Asia from the map or list. From there, click a country name to explore it.

Use CultureGrams to learn about the geography, history and population of Hawaii and explore fun facts, maps, cultural notes, recipes and more. To explore other Pacific Islands, select World Edition from the homepage then click on Oceania from the map or list. Pacific Islands include Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Polynesia, Samoa and more.

Books and Media

TCCL has a number of amazing book lists from staff that promote AAPI titles for all ages; from Intro to Asian Myth/Folklore for young customers, to Asian Pacific American YA Graphic Novels for teens, and Award Winning Asian Fiction and Romance novels with Asian American Characters for adults. There are even cuisine-focused lists like Asian American Languages, Cooking & Culture for Kids and Virtual Travel with your Taste Buds that invite readers to learn about AAPI culture through food! 

TCCL Kids! Book List: Asian American/Pacific Islander Heritage Month

aapiHoopla collections featuring books and media by and about Asian American individuals or Asian cultures:

More Resources

The National Archives holds a wealth of material documenting the Asian and Pacific Islander experience, and it highlights these resources online, in programs, and through traditional and social media. Explore the resources HERE.

The theme for 2022 is "Advancing Leaders Through Collaboration." Learn more about it HERE