SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — As a way to recognize the contributions of people of Asian and Pacific Islander descent in the state of California, May was recently declared by Governor Gavin Newsom as Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Other parts of the country have expanded on it, referring to May as Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month.
However, a new survey conducted by Savanta Research found that a majority of Americans are largely unfamiliar with key events that happened in the history of the country involving people of Asian descent.
Additionally, it found that more than half of all Americans have limited knowledge about Native Hawaiians or Pacific Islanders.
The methodology behind the research included a survey of about 6,300 respondents across the U.S. over the age of 16. The survey was conducted between January and March, and is meant to build upon consecutive years of research. The full methodology can be found in the report here.
According to the study, 55% of Americans could not name an event or policy related to Asian Americans. Most of the people who struggled to give an answer belonged in the younger demographic, between the ages of 16 to 34.
Of those who did answer, 15% recalled the incarceration of Japanese Americans while 3% said “blamed for COVID-19,” “Pearl Harbor,” and “Other WWII events.” Two percent said “building railroads.”
Only 17% of Americans expressed they were familiar with the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act, which was passed by Congress and implemented a 10-year ban on working immigrants entering the country from China.
The survey also showed many Americans are unaware of more recent events impacting Asian Americans, including last year’s mass shooting in Monterey Park and…
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