History
Monterey Park exhibition honors Asian American veterans during US 250th anniversary
A monthlong exhibition at Monterey Park’s Bruggemeyer Library is using America’s 250th anniversary to highlight Asian American military service across nearly two centuries of U.S. history. “Duty,…
Japan museum accused of whitewashing Nanjing Massacre
Advisers to the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum have recommended replacing “Nanjing Massacre” with “Nanjing Incident” in a draft exhibit revision, drawing criticism over how one of Japan’s most prominent…
Restored 1914 Asian American silent film added to the National Film Registry
A 1914 Japanese American silent film long believed lost has been added to the National Film Registry as part of the Library of Congress’ January 2026 selections. “The Oath of the Sword,” produced by…
For Japanese American survivors, today’s immigration tactics feel painfully familiar
Decades after Japanese Americans were forcibly removed from their homes during World War II, survivors and advocates say the same legal and racial logic is resurfacing in Trump’s immigration…
Met Museum returns 18th Century Buddhist painting to South Korea
The Metropolitan Museum of Art has returned a Buddhist painting from 1798 to a South Korean temple, acknowledging the work was believed taken while the temple was under U.S. Army control during the…
Korean masterworks make US debut at Smithsonian
More than 200 rare works from Korea’s most significant private art donation opened to the public on Saturday at the National Museum of Asian Art in Washington, D.C., where they will remain on view…
New research dismantles 2,000-year-old Chinese legend that blamed a woman for dynasty’s collapse
A new study decisively challenges the historical portrayal of Bao Si, a figure long scapegoated for the collapse of the Western Zhou Dynasty. By presenting climate data from stalagmites and sediment…
Four Filipino WWII veterans receive Congressional Gold Medals
Four Filipino World War II veterans were posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal during a ceremony at the Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C. last week. Families of Petty Officer First…
Lost 1936 Filipino film resurfaces in Belgium after nearly 90 years
A long-lost piece of Philippine cinema history has been found in Brussels, Belgium, nearly a century after it vanished. The 1936 film “Diwata ng Karagatan,” directed by Carlos Vander Tolosa and…
Khmer Rouge sites added to UNESCO World Heritage List
Three former torture and execution sites used by Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge regime have been inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, recognizing their transformation “from centres of repression to…
World Press Photo suspends credit for ‘Napalm Girl’ image
World Press Photo has suspended the credit of Associated Press photographer Nick Ut for the iconic Vietnam War photograph commonly known as “Napalm Girl,” citing unresolved questions about its…
Vietnamese Americans in Orange County commemorate 50 years since fall of Saigon
Hundreds of Vietnamese Americans gathered Wednesday morning at Sid Goldstein Freedom Park in Westminster for the city’s annual Black April ceremony, marking 50 years since North Vietnamese forces…
How Martin Luther King Jr. inspired Asian Americans
A Pew Research Center study in 2023 revealed a startling statistic: 25% of Asian Americans know either “not much” or “nothing at all” about Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech.…
Japanese police obtain arrest warrant for Chinese teen accused of defacing controversial Tokyo shrine
Japanese police have obtained an arrest warrant on Thursday for a Chinese teenager accused of vandalizing a Tokyo shrine with graffiti, seemingly mimicking an act at the same site earlier this year.…
Hiroshima survivor surprised Gaza fighters didn’t win Nobel Peace Prize
Toshiyuki Mimaki, a Hiroshima bombing survivor, expressed surprise that those defending Gaza did not win the Nobel Peace Prize while accepting it on behalf of Nihon Hidankyo on Friday. At a press…
Exhibit features rare look at US-China friendship
An ongoing exhibit at the Beijing American Center in China offers a unique glimpse into a forgotten era of U.S.-China cooperation, showcasing photos from World War II that highlight a…
Japanese atomic bomb survivor group wins 2024 Nobel Peace Prize
Nihon Hidankyo, a grassroots Japanese organization of atomic bomb survivors, has been awarded this year’s Nobel Peace Prize for their decades-long activism against nuclear weapons. The Norwegian…
‘Free Chol Soo Lee’: Documentary on wrongfully convicted Korean immigrant wins Emmy
The 2022 documentary “Free Chol Soo Lee,” which tells the story of a Korean immigrant wrongfully convicted of killing Yip Yee Tak in San Francisco’s Chinatown in 1973, won the award for outstanding…
Philadelphia divided over proposed memorial to honor WWII Korean comfort women
At a hearing on Monday, advocates and opponents debated a proposed statue in Philadelphia to honor Korean “comfort women” abused by the Japanese army during World War II. The bronze memorial depicts…
Hiroshima calls for nuclear disarmament on 79th bombing anniversary
Hiroshima officials on Tuesday urged world leaders to abolish nuclear weapons, emphasizing the pressing risk of atomic war amid ongoing conflicts. The call coincided with the 79th anniversary of the…
Unearthed Tang dynasty tomb shows mural of blond ‘Westerner’
A Tang dynasty tomb, discovered during a hillside road reconstruction project in Taiyuan, Shanxi province, in 2018 but only publicly revealed in June, reportedly features a mural depicting a…
Controversial Japan site granted world heritage status with South Korean approval
The UNESCO World Heritage committee have registered Japan’s Sado gold mine as a cultural heritage site after Japan agreed to include its dark history of abusing Korean laborers during World War II in…
Japan’s apology for WWII Filipino ‘comfort women’ criticized by victims
Japan has reiterated its apologies for the suffering inflicted on Filipino “comfort women” during World War II. More than 1,000 women were abducted and coerced into sexual slavery by military…
99-year-old Chinese American WWII vet honored in parade
Ken Mar, a 99-year-old Chinese American World War II veteran, was honored for his service and contributions at the 30th annual Fourth of July Parade in Sacramento’s Pocket area. He joined the event…
‘Jane Fonda Day’ to be moved amid outcry from Vietnamese community
Amid intense backlash, Los Angeles County supervisors are rescheduling “Jane Fonda Day” after setting it on April 30, a date of mourning for many Vietnamese Americans. Key points:
‘The Sympathizer’ cast share personal experiences in fleeing the Vietnam War
The cast of HBO’s drama series “The Sympathizer” have shared personal experiences of leaving their homeland during the Vietnam War. Key points:
Shambhala: Tibetan Buddhism’s mythical hidden kingdom
The hidden kingdom of Shambhala has captivated the imaginations of ancient and modern people alike for its centuries-old story shrouded in myth and mystery. As tales of this legendary land endure,…
Earliest evidence of cannabis smoking found in Asia
Ancient people in western China were the first to use cannabis for its psychoactive properties, according to research. Key points:
Benson Flores, Canada’s first Filipino immigrant, finally receives gravestone
Benjamin “Benson” Flores, the first documented Filipino immigrant to Canada, is finally receiving a gravestone after years of being buried in an unmarked grave. Key points:
Shi Pei Pu: The opera singer who faked being a woman to spy for China
A Chinese opera singer who masqueraded as a woman captivated and deceived a French diplomat in a complex tale of espionage and romance that stretched across decades. Key points:
Korean War orphan, Turkish foster dad reunite after 60 years in emotional documentary
A 6-year-old documentary that featured the heartfelt reunion of a South Korean woman and the Turkish soldier who took her in during the Korean War continues to bring viewers to tears. Key points:
Portland bus tour showing city’s anti-Asian, anti-Black past enters 16th year
A unique bus tour in Portland, Oregon, sheds light on the city’s dark past of housing discrimination against Asian and African Americans. Key points:
Vietnam War veterans honored across US on 51st anniversary
National Vietnam Veterans Day was observed across the country on the 51st anniversary of the withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from Vietnam. Key points:
Origins of tea: How its leaves moved the world
In the course of human history, few commodities have woven as intricate a narrative as the humble tea. Its journey from a garden in ancient China to the cups of billions today — while playing a key…
These dumplings are a hidden gem found only in this Japanese city
Despite its status as a source of local pride in the Japanese city of Akashi, a survey reveals that the beloved akashiyaki dumplings are a rare treat, consumed by citizens only once or twice a year…
6 Chinese American WWII vets awarded Congressional Gold Medals
Six Chinese American World War II veterans were awarded Congressional Gold Medals for their service over the weekend. Who they are: William Shih Yin Ching of the Army Corps, Wai Hoo Tong of the Army,…
