The Postal Service will observe Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, which begins Thursday, May 1.
It’s a time to celebrate the cultures and achievements of Americans of Asian, Pacific Islander and Native Hawaiian descent — the fastest-growing racial group in the nation, according to the 2020 census.
Approximately 8 percent of the Postal Service workforce identifies as Asian American, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander.
The observance is held in May primarily for two reasons: The nation’s first Japanese immigrants arrived May 7, 1843, and the transcontinental railroad — built mainly through the labor of Chinese immigrants — was completed May 10, 1869.
Recent stamps celebrating this diverse community include Go for Broke: Japanese American Soldiers of WWII; Chien-Shiung Wu, honoring the atomic physicist; and Diwali, commemorating the five-day Hindu festival of lights.
Hawaii and Hawaiians have also been frequent stamp subjects. Among those spotlighted have been Olympic athlete Duke Kahanamoku, Aloha shirts, the Lili’uokalani Gardens in Hilo, and two of the 16 National Marine Sanctuaries stamps.
Additionally, the Postal Service’s Lunar New Year stamps are a perennial favorite.
This year’s release, part of a Lunar New Year series that began in 2020, honors the Year of the Snake.
Previous series ran from 1992-2004 and 2008-2019.
