Asian and Pacific American Heritage Month
Asian and Pacific American Heritage Month
This month we celebrate the histories, cultures, and contributions of Harvard’s Asian and Pacific Island communities.
Our community, past and present
Educating myself on the expansive history of Asian Americans has been fundamental to accepting pieces of my identity I previously denied.”Keun-woo Lee
Harvard Graduate School of Education
Teren Sevea
As Harvard Divinity School assistant professor in Islamic Studies, Teren Sevea explores Islamic societies in Southeast Asia and across the Indian Ocean world.
Apsara Iyer
This year Apsara Iyer became the 137th president of the Harvard Law Review, an entirely student-edited journal with the largest circulation of any law journal in the world.
Jeromel Dela Rosa Lara
Jeromel comes from a family of Filipino migrant workers, so when he had to choose a thesis, he chose to focus on the experience of Filipina migrant domestic workers.
Namhi Kim Wagner
Namhi Kim Wagner, who passed away earlier this year, was the first director of the Korean Language Program at Harvard University. She generously shared her passion for the Korean language and Korean Studies with generations of faculty, staff, and students.
James Choi Spackman
While attending Harvard in the 1950s, James Choi Spackman took on many jobs to make ends meet, including his “first business lesson,” a wildly successful snack stand.
Ge Kunhua
In 1879, Ge Kunhua was appointed the first Chinese language instructor at Harvard and the first native Chinese speaker to teach Chinese in America.
Kentarō Kaneko
Kentarō Kaneko was one of the first two Japanese students to attend Harvard. He earned a degree from the Law School in 1874 and went on to help draft the Japanese constitution in 1889.
Many of these students, faculty, and alumni are connected to AAPI groups throughout Harvard, including:
Art connects us
Beyond these works, the museums’ East Asian Painting and Decorative Arts gallery on Level 2 hosts an ever-changing selection of Asian art, and the “Painting Edo: Japanese Art from the Feinberg Collection” exhibition can be toured virtually from anywhere.
Exploring Asian and Pacific Island scholarship
Recent gifts from Asian American alumni leaders have created a historic expansion of Harvard’s Asian American studies program.
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The need for Asian American history in schools
Stewart Kwoh, co-executive director of the Asian American Education Project, is developing curriculums and trainings to help educators embrace the rich history.
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Harvard’s hubs in Asia
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Harvard-China Project on Energy, Economy and Environment
Along with partner institutions in China, the project conducts studies on climate change, energy systems, and economic development.
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Harvard Center Shanghai
The center makes it possible for Harvard faculty and students to study and work in China, and supports activities that bring Chinese students, scholars, and professionals to Harvard.
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Lakshmi Mittal and Family South Asia Institute India Office
The office in Delhi supports a variety of activities, including collaborative research projects, student internships, language studies, and postdoctoral fellowships.
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Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health India Research Center
The Mumbai-based center is designed to broaden and coordinate Harvard’s existing collaborations and create new relationships with organizations and agencies across India.
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Harvard Business School centers
Harvard Business School has many centers across the globe, including Japan Research Center, Asia-Pacific Research Center, and India Research Center in Asia.