Asian Desi Pacific American Heritage Month is celebrated each May to pay tribute to the achievements and contributions generations of Asian, Desi and Pacific Island Americans have made in the United States. It was first designated Asian-Pacific Heritage Week in 1978 and was celebrated the first ten days of May. In 1990, it was extended to the full month of May.
May was chosen to commemorate the date, May 7, 1843, which marked the immigration of the first Japanese to the United States. The month also marks the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad, May 10,1869, in which the majority of the workers were Chinese immigrants.