Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month 2024

Published on April 17, 2024 • Last modified on April 18, 2024

PBS Western Reserve Celebrates Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month with Special Programming

First established as Asian/Pacific Heritage Week during the Carter administration, Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month is the nationwide commemoration of the history and achievements of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders. This annual celebration is observed in May because it marks the anniversary of some important dates: the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants to the United States on May 7, 1843, and the completion of the transcontinental railroad, which Chinese immigrants helped build, on May 10, 1869. From the silver screen to the shop front, Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders have been at the forefront of America’s progress and accomplishments.

This May, PBS Western Reserve proudly celebrates this special month with inspiring programming on our Fusion channel (WNEO 45.2 / WEAO 49.2).

The Story of China

FUSION (WNEO 45.2 / WEAO 49.2):

Fridays, May 3-17, at 9 PM

Travel from the Silk Road to the Yellow Sea with historian and host Michael Wood as he explores the history of the world’s newest superpower. Unravel the thrilling and moving epic of the world’s oldest continuous state through the landscapes, peoples and stories that made today’s China.

Stream THE STORY OF CHINA with PBS Western Reserve Passport.

American Masters, Tyrus Wong

FUSION (WNEO 45.2 / WEAO 49.2):

Monday, May 6, at 8 PM

Until his death at the age of 106, Tyrus Wong was America’s oldest living Chinese American artist and one of the last remaining artists from the golden age of Disney animation. The quiet beauty of his Eastern-influenced paintings, especially visible in “Bambi,” had a pioneering impact on American art and popular culture.

Stream AMERICAN MASTERS, TYRUS WONG with PBS Western Reserve Passport.

Fanny: The Right to Rock

FUSION (WNEO 45.2 / WEAO 49.2):

Monday, May 13, at 8 PM

Co-founded by Filipina American sisters, Fanny is the first all-women band to release an album with a major record label (Warner/Reprise, 1970). Fighting barriers of race, gender and sexuality, Fanny made a groundbreaking impact on modern music.

Stream FANNY: THE RIGHT TO ROCK with PBS Western Reserve Passport.

Independent Lens, The Donut King

FUSION (WNEO 45.2 / WEAO 49.2):

Monday, May 13, at 9:30 PM
Saturday, May 18, at noon

An immigrant story with a (glazed) twist, this documentary follows the journey of Cambodian refugee Ted Ngoy, who arrived in California in the 1970s and, through a mixture of diligence and luck, built a multimillion-dollar donut empire up and down the West Coast.

Stream INDEPENDENT LENS, THE DONUT KING with PBS Western Reserve Passport

American Masters, Nam June Paik: Moon is the Oldest TV

FUSION (WNEO 45.2 / WEAO 49.2):

Saturday, May 18, at 9 PM

See the world through the eyes of Nam June Paik, the father of video art who coined the term “electronic superhighway.” Born in Japan-occupied Korea, Paik went on to become a pillar of the American avant-garde and transformed modern image-making with his sculptures, films and performances. Experience his creative evolution, as Academy Award nominee Steven Yeun reads from Paik’s writings.

Stream AMERICAN MASTERS, NAM JUNE PAIK: MOON IS THE OLDEST TV with PBS Western Reserve Passport

Extras

Enjoy more Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander programming and resources.

PBS KIDS:

Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month | All About the Holidays

Nine Books to Celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

Resources for Teachers on PBS LearningMedia