📌APIA Every Day (273) - The Seattle Betsuin Buddhist Temple’s origins trace back to November 15, 1901, when a group of Japanese immigrants gathered for a Jodo Shinshu Buddhist service led by Rev. Kakuyro Nishijima. This congregation commissioned the construction of a temple building that was originally completed in 1908. After the passage of the Housing Act of 1937, however, the temple was torn down in 1939 to make way for Seattle’s first public housing project, Yesler Terrace. 

In response, the congregation commissioned Seattle architect Kichio Arai to design a new temple, which was completed in 1941. Located in Seattle's Chinatown and International District (CID), the building featured a traditional Japanese temple design with a gabled roof and upturned eaves, while utilizing local American building materials like brick. Just two months after the new temple’s dedication, Japan bombed Pearl Harbor and the U.S. officially entered World War II. Soon after in April of 1942, under Executive Order 9066, Japanese Americans were forced out of Seattle into incarceration camps. During this period, the temple served as an office for the U.S. Maritime Commission. 

After the war ended in 1945, returning Japanese residents worshiped in temporary locations while the temple underwent renovations to add an auditorium. The following year in 1946, the temple was officially reopened. The congregation then expanded its community services, establishing a Day Nursery Program and a Boy Scout Troop—both of which continue today. In 1954, the Hongwanji Temple in Kyoto, Japan, elevated the Seattle temple to “Betsuin” status—a special title indicating its direct connection to Hongwanji. More additions to the temple were made later in 1963, namely the Shinran Shonin 700th Anniversary Memorial Hall, which included a chapel, columbarium, and classrooms. 

In 1976, the temple was designated a Seattle Landmark, and in 1986, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Seattle CID. These designations have helped preserve its historic and cultural significance. However, on December 31, 2023, an arson attack damaged much of the temple’s interior, destroying part of the historical archives—including documents from WWII incarceration camps. Despite this tragedy, the congregation remains active and is rebuilding, raising over $450,000 in donations for repairs. The temple is set to reopen in phases starting in 2025, ensuring its legacy endures for future generations.

📌APIA Every Day (272) - The Uchida Coffee Farm, located near Kealakekua on the Big Island of Hawai’i, is a historic site that highlights the development of the Kona coffee district during the early 20th century. Established in 1913 by Daisaku Uchida, an immigrant from the Kumamoto region of Japan, the farm was representative of a larger agricultural shift occurring in Hawai’i. While coffee and sugar plantations dominated the economy in the late 19th century, by the early 1900s, coffee prices had declined, and many plantation owners pivoted to sugarcane cultivation. Uchida and other immigrants, given small parcels of land, started small-scale coffee farms—a practice that would define the Kona region's agricultural landscape for generations.

Uchida was one of over 100,000 Japanese immigrants who arrived in Hawai’i during this era. In 1906, he came under a three-year contract to work on a sugar plantation. After fulfilling his contract, he worked various jobs around the island before marrying his cousin, Shima Maruo, in 1912. The following year, the Uchidas leased seven acres of land from Greenwell Ranch in Kona and began cultivating coffee. By 1925, as their farm prospered, the Uchidas expanded five acres and built a new home, two water tanks, and a Japanese bathing tub (called a furo) on their property. The Uchida house, a single-story building with six bedrooms, combined vernacular Hawai'ian architecture with Japanese tradition. In 1926, facilities to help expedite the coffee growing process, including a kuridana (cherry processing mill) and hoshidana (Kona-invented coffee drying platform), were added to the site. 

The Uchida family, including Daisaku and Shima's five children, lived and worked on the farm for 81 years, until 1994. In 1999, the Kona Historical Society acquired the property and transformed it into the Living History Farm museum. Today, visitors can explore the well-preserved property and learn about early coffee farming in Kona and the Japanese residents who helped to spearhead the business. Through its preservation, the farm serves as a reminder of the lasting impact of immigrant labor on Hawai’i’s agricultural development and underlines the island’s diverse cultural heritage.

📌APIA Every Day (271) - Ganesh Temple—more formally known as Šri Mahã Vallabha Ganapati Devasthãnam—was founded in 1970 by the Hindu Temple Society of North America. After the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 eliminated national-origin quotas, a significant South Indian community settled in Flushing in the late 1960s. Built to accommodate the rapidly growing South Indian community in Queens, the temple quickly became an important religious and cultural center for Hindu immigrants in the area. 

The temple's early congregation initially occupied a former Russian Orthodox Church on Bowne Street. In 1977, a new temple complex was built on the same site, designed in a classical South Indian architectural style. This pioneering structure became one of the earliest traditional Hindu temples in North America, and the first to be built with imported Indian granite. Skilled artisans hired from India crafted the elaborate stone carvings seen throughout the building's interior and exterior.

Since its founding, the temple has expanded to include a Hindu Community Center featuring an auditorium, two wedding halls, and a canteen serving authentic South Indian cuisine. Across the street, additional facilities house a Senior Center, Outreach Office, and a shrine dedicated to the saint Šri Rãghavendra Swãmy Sannidhi. Today, the temple complex offers space for worship, cultural events, and community classes in Indian languages, classical dance, yoga, and more.

For over 50 years, Ganesh Temple has served as a cornerstone for Hindu immigrants in Queens, maintaining its role as a vital spiritual institution for the South Indian community. In 2022, this significance was recognized when Bowne Street was co-named Ganesh Temple Street in a ceremony attended by the New York Consul General of India, Randhir Jaiswal, and Queens Borough President, Donovan Richards.

📌APIA Every Day (270) - Salt Lake City's original Chinatown, known as Plum Alley, emerged in the 1860s between First and Second South, near present-day Regent Street. The neighborhood took shape as Chinese railroad workers, who had played a critical role in constructing the transcontinental railroad, moved south following its completion in 1869. Due to restrictive federal laws and social barriers, the population was predominantly male, as Chinese women faced significant challenges immigrating.

Plum Alley grew into a bustling business district, home to laundries, grocery stores, and restaurants. Two key institutions anchored the community: the Joss House, a religious center established in 1895, and the Bing Kong Tong, which offered social services, job placement, and legal assistance. Leadership within the community was well-defined, with figures like Chin Quan Chan (known as Chin Chin), the unofficial "mayor," who owned much of the Chinese-occupied property in the area.

However, the community faced significant challenges. The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and subsequent immigration restrictions severely curtailed the population's growth. During the Great Depression, economic hardships forced many Chinese businesses to close, prompting residents to relocate, many to California in search of better opportunities. By 1940, the last major tenement in Plum Alley was abandoned, and in 1952, the entire area was demolished to make way for a parking lot. Salt Lake City’s Chinese population remained small until after exclusion laws were repealed in the 1940s.

Today, Salt Lake City's current Chinatown, located at 3390 South State Street and opened in 2014, bears no direct connection to the historic Plum Alley community. This 5.7-acre complex includes the Chinatown Supermarket, retail spaces, and restaurants. While the Bing Kong Tong continues to function as a social organization for Chinese residents, it no longer operates from its historic location.

📌APIA Every Day (269) - Teshima’s Restaurant, founded in 1929 by Mary Shizuko Teshima as F. Teshima General Merchandise Store in Honalo, Hawaii, began by selling ice cream made from blocks shipped from Hilo, along with general merchandise. During World War II, the store expanded its offerings to include hamburgers for American servicemen and provided credit to local customers during challenging economic times.

In 1957, the original store was replaced with the current restaurant building on the Māmalahoa Highway. The menu underwent significant expansion in 1960 when a Japanese chef was hired, introducing signature dishes such as shrimp tempura. Over the years, the menu evolved to feature a blend of Japanese cuisine, including sukiyaki and sashimi, alongside Hawaiian-inspired dishes like fried ahi tuna and American favorites such as hamburgers and BLTs. The restaurant has long sourced much of its fish from local fishermen, strengthening its ties to the surrounding community and local economy.

The two-story building has served dual purposes since its construction. The ground floor became the restaurant space, while the second floor was used as a meeting place for local organizations such as the Rotary and Lions Clubs, further embedding the restaurant within the social fabric of the area. Mary Teshima managed the restaurant until her passing in 2013 at the age of 106, at which point her descendants took over the business, continuing her legacy.

Teshima’s Restaurant has faced several challenges over the years, including a brief period in the 1970s when it was leased to outside management. Despite this, it has remained a vital institution in the community. In 2022, in recognition of its historical significance, the restaurant received a $40,000 grant from the Backing Historic Small Restaurants program. The grant funded exterior renovations, including the restoration of vintage signage and the addition of outdoor seating areas, helping to preserve the restaurant’s historical appearance. Today, Teshima’s Restaurant continues to operate at its original location next to the Daifukuji Soto Mission, maintaining its longstanding menu and business model while contributing to the preservation of local history and culture.

📌APIA Every Day (268) - Pachappa Camp was established in 1905 in Riverside, California, by Dosan Ahn Chang Ho as a settlement for Korean workers in the citrus industry. The camp originated after Ahn created the Korean Labor Bureau to counter the Japanese American monopoly on labor contracts. Local citrus farm owner Cornelius E. Rumsey supported the initiative with a $1,500 loan, which enabled the establishment of both the labor bureau and the settlement at 1532 Pachappa Avenue.

The settlement consisted of 20 basic buildings and a community hall, originally constructed in the 1880s for Chinese railroad workers. The structures lacked modern amenities such as electricity, gas, and running water, requiring residents to use shared outdoor water pumps and outhouses. At its peak, the camp housed approximately 300 people, including families, making it distinct from typical labor camps of the era. The community operated under strict governance, with established rules covering aspects from dress codes to behavioral standards.

The camp served multiple functions beyond housing, hosting significant events such as the 1911 Korean National Association of North America meeting. Under Ahn's leadership, the settlement developed formal governmental structures including elected officials, taxation systems, and separate judicial, executive, and legislative bodies. The Gongnip Hyophoe (Cooperative Association) was established at the camp in 1905, creating policies and institutions aimed at supporting Korean independence efforts.

The Great Citrus Freeze of 1913 marked the beginning of the camp's decline, as crop destruction led to widespread job losses. Most residents relocated to other areas such as Los Angeles or Northern California, and by 1918 the camp was largely abandoned. The site was later occupied by Japanese Americans, then Mexican Americans, before being redeveloped for commercial use in the 1950s. The historical significance of Pachappa Camp was not widely recognized until Dr. Edward T. Chang discovered it on a 1908 Sanborn Insurance map, leading to its designation as Riverside's first Point of Cultural Interest in 2016.

📌APIA Every Day (267) - The Wah Luck House was established in response to decades of displacement of Washington D.C.'s Chinese community. After being forced to relocate from Pennsylvania Avenue in the 1930s due to Federal Triangle construction, the community settled in what became Chinatown between 5th and 7th streets NW. When faced with further displacement threats in the 1970s from Metro construction and Convention Center development, the community successfully protested, leading the city to offer the construction of Wah Luck House as a concession.

Built in 1982 and designed by Taiwanese immigrant Alfred H. Liu, the 10-story, 153-unit affordable housing complex operates under a unique arrangement where the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association owns the land through a ground lease extending until 2056. The building was sold in 2017 for $55 million to Wah Luck House Preservation LLC, with funding from multiple sources including $39 million from the D.C. Housing Finance Agency and $24 million in low-income housing tax credits through Wells Fargo. The sale maintained affordable housing status through Section 8 vouchers and included plans for $9 million in renovations.

Today, approximately 75% of residents are seniors relying on social security and housing vouchers. The building added an adult day care center in 2021, serving about 94 residents with medical services, meals, and social activities. After past management issues under previous owner Aimco, the 2017 sale brought new oversight, though the ground lease arrangement with CCBA remains key to maintaining the building's affordable status through 2056.

📌APIA Every Day (266) - The Iao Theater, constructed in 1927 in Wailuku, Maui, at a cost of $40,000, officially opened on August 22, 1928. It featured 702 seats, an orchestra pit, and facilities for both film screenings and live performances. Its architecture blended Spanish Mission elements with Hawaiian/ Asian features, reflecting a unique cultural fusion.

During its peak years, the theater served as a hub for both films and live entertainment. Notably, it hosted USO shows during World War II, featuring celebrated performers such as Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra, Betty Hutton, and Donald O’Connor. In 1953, it held the Hawaii premiere of From Here to Eternity, attended by Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner. From 1930 to the mid-1970s, Harry’s Sweets, a concession stand, operated outside the main entrance. Afterward, the theater experienced a period of decline and eventually closed.

Today, the Iao Theater is one of only three pre-1930 theaters remaining in Hawaii, alongside the Hawaii Theater on Oahu and the Hilo Palace on the Big Island. After facing the threat of demolition, it was purchased by Maui County in 1993 for $882,000. The building was added to the Hawaii Register of Historic Places in 1994 and the National Register of Historic Places in 1995. Now operated by Maui OnStage with a reduced seating capacity of 413, it is the sole surviving theater of Wailuku’s original seven.

📌APIA Every Day (265) - Frank Tanaka arrived in Colorado in 1907, joining this emerging agricultural community and playing a key role in establishing the Japanese Association in the Brighton/Fort Lupton area. Over time, the Tanaka family became prominent in the region's agricultural landscape. After Frank’s death in 1953, his sons Dick, Rocky, Sam, and Bobby, expanded the family operation into one of the largest vegetable farms in the area, spanning 5,000 acres across Boulder and Weld Counties. Unlike Japanese American farmers on the West Coast, who were forcibly incarcerated during World War II, those in Colorado avoided incarceration but still faced discrimination and restrictions.

The Tanaka family’s farm thrived for decades, building extensive distribution networks and producing year-round crops. However, financial pressures culminated in a foreclosure on their $3 million mortgage in 1989, forcing the family into bankruptcy and liquidation of assets. Following this setback, the Tanakas continued farming on a smaller scale. In 1992, Dick Tanaka leased a plot near the intersection of East County Line Road and Colorado 119, later expanding to Boulder County Open Space land near U.S. Highway 287 and Colorado Highway 52. The farm continued to honor traditional Japanese farming practices while adapting to market demands, producing both conventional crops and Japanese varieties.

After Dick Tanaka’s death in 2024, the family decided to close their farming operations, marking the end of an era. The closure represents not just the end of a family legacy but also a significant shift in Boulder County’s agricultural identity. For over a century, Japanese American farmers like the Tanakas shaped Colorado’s agricultural landscape, introducing innovations in vegetable farming and contributing to the region’s economic and cultural diversity.

📌APIA Every Day (264) - The Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association (CCBA) in Augusta originated in 1873 when approximately 200 Chinese laborers were brought to Georgia to work on expanding the Augusta Canal. Most of these workers hailed from Guangdong Province in Southeast China, a region that historically supplied over 80% of Chinese immigrants to the United States. However, the passage of the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1882 severely restricted Chinese immigration, particularly for laborers. Despite these challenges, the early Chinese community in Augusta adapted by establishing themselves as merchants, running grocery stores and laundries.

In 1927, the CCBA was officially chartered to support the local Chinese community during an era of significant legal and social constraints. This marked a turning point, as the association began creating programs to strengthen the community. A major milestone occurred in 1939 when the CCBA purchased a former Lutheran church building at 548 Walker Street, which became its permanent headquarters. Over the years, the CCBA developed key community initiatives, such as Chinese language schools, youth clubs, and cultural events. The organization's timeline reflects a journey from survival to organized community building, including the establishment of a Sunday school in 1885 and the founding of support groups like the Chinese Women’s Club in 1948.

The CCBA’s role evolved further with shifts in immigration policies. The repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act through the Magnuson Act of 1943, followed by the Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1965, opened the door to large-scale Chinese immigration. These changes led to demographic shifts in Augusta’s Chinese community, with an influx of Taiwanese professionals in the 1970s and an increase in Chinese students and faculty at local institutions. By 2023, the CCBA had earned recognition as a cornerstone community organization, receiving awards such as the Asian American Spirit Award and becoming the first Asian organization in Georgia to receive a historical marker from the Georgia Historical Society.

📌APIA Every Day (263) - The Storrier Stearns Japanese Garden is a 1.45-acre landscape located in Pasadena, California, created as a private garden for Charles and Ellamae Storrier Stearns in the late 1930s. Situated on a six-acre estate that originally included a stately mansion built in 1913, the garden transformed a flat tennis court area into an intricate Japanese-style stroll garden. The project was an extensive undertaking, spanning four years and costing approximately $150,000, with all artifacts imported from Japan, including stones, bronze elements, and a complete teahouse that was disassembled in Japan and rebuilt on-site.

Kinzuchi Fujii, the landscape designer behind the garden, was a Japanese immigrant who brought meticulous craftsmanship and traditional design principles to the project. Spending a full year on design and planning before construction began, Fujii carefully integrated local California vegetation with imported Japanese design elements. He used mules to transport large boulders from the Santa Susana Mountains, strategically placing them to create waterfalls, stepping stones, and the foundation for a twelve-mat teahouse. The garden exemplified classic Japanese landscape techniques, including "shakei" (borrowed scenery) and "miegakure" (hide-and-reveal) principles, with Fujii stating his ambition to create "a real, uncompromising Japanese garden in the United States."

The garden's history was dramatically impacted by World War II. In 1942, Fujii was incarcerated at the Gila River War Relocation Center, despite having created this significant cultural landscape. He carefully preserved the garden's original plans in the single suitcase he was allowed to bring to the incarceration camp. After the war, the property changed hands several times, with the garden experiencing periods of neglect. In 1974, Caltrans seized 60 feet of the garden's eastern portion for a freeway extension, and the teahouse burned down in 1981.

In the mid-1990s, the garden was restored by Japanese American landscape designer Takeo Uesugi. Working with the Haddad family, who had inherited the property, Uesugi used Fujii's original plans to reconstruct the garden. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Storrier Stearns Japanese Garden is a documented example of pre-World War II Japanese landscape design in California, highlighting the work of Japanese designers Kinzuchi Fujii and Takeo Uesugi.

📌APIA Every Day (262) - The Old Sugar Mill of Kōloa, established in 1835 by Ladd & Company, marked the beginning of Hawaii’s commercial sugar industry, ushering in significant economic and social changes across the islands. While the plantation was a technological and agricultural milestone, it relied on the labor of native Hawaiians under exploitative conditions. Plantation managers perpetuated racist ideologies, claiming native workers were less capable of systematic labor, while paying them just $2 per month in company-issued currency usable only at plantation stores. Housing provided to workers came with daily fees, deepening their economic dependence.

In 1841, Hawaiian workers organized a strike to demand better wages—an act of resistance that underscored the oppressive nature of plantation life. However, the strike was quickly suppressed, highlighting the plantation’s control over workers’ lives and the systemic power imbalance of the era. Restrictive labor contracts limited workers’ ability to seek other employment, displacing traditional Hawaiian livelihoods and reinforcing the plantation’s dominance. These early dynamics set a precedent for the use of imported labor as the sugar industry expanded, eventually drawing workers from China, Japan, the Philippines, and other countries who faced similarly harsh conditions.

Over the decades, the Kōloa plantation passed through the hands of various owners, including the McBryde family and Alexander & Baldwin. By the time the plantation closed in 1996, it had operated for over 160 years, reflecting both the economic significance of the sugar industry and its reliance on the systemic exploitation of native and immigrant labor. The plantation also played a role in shaping Hawaii’s multicultural society, as immigrant workers brought their own traditions and cultures, contributing to the islands’ diverse heritage.

Today, the Old Sugar Mill of Kōloa stands as a National Historic Landmark, preserving a site tied to Hawaii’s plantation era. Events like the annual Kōloa Plantation Days Celebration aim to acknowledge the contributions and experiences of the diverse ethnic groups who labored under these conditions. At the same time, the site serves as a reminder of the systemic injustices faced by native Hawaiians and immigrant workers, offering an opportunity to reflect on the broader social and economic impacts of Hawaii’s sugar plantation history.

📌APIA Every Day (261) - Chinese immigrants arrived in Deadwood during the Black Hills Gold Rush of 1876 and quickly became a notable part of the community. By 1880, approximately 221 Chinese residents lived in Lawrence County, with most concentrated in Deadwood. While some worked in mining, the majority operated service businesses essential to the mining economy. These included laundries, restaurants, grocery stores, boarding houses, and other trades.

The Chinatown district was located on Lower Main Street and extended roughly 600 feet. Although referred to as Chinatown, the area housed a diverse population, including Chinese, African Americans, and European Americans. Chinese residents maintained cultural practices such as celebrating the Chinese New Year and conducting traditional funeral rituals. At the same time, economic competition contributed to local tensions. For instance, Chinese laborers were often seen as rivals to white workers, and ordinances restricted Chinese residents from being on Main Street after dark.

The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 significantly reduced the Chinese population in Deadwood. Immigration restrictions and demographic shifts led many to return to China or relocate to larger Chinese communities in urban centers like San Francisco. Today, few remnants of the community remain. The Wing Tsue Emporium, a prominent Chinese-owned business, was demolished in 2005. However, efforts such as the reconstruction of a ceremonial altar at Mt. Moriah Cemetery aim to preserve aspects of the area's historical significance.

📌APIA Every Day (260) - The Japanese Church of Christ in Salt Lake City is an important historical landmark, serving as one of the last remaining structures from the city’s once-vibrant Japantown, which has been overshadowed by modern developments near the Delta Center. Established in 1918 by members of Japanese Presbyterian and Congregational Churches, the church has endured various challenges over the years. Today, it is one of only two surviving buildings from the area’s Japanese American community. Though the church is undergoing renovations, a small congregation of about 30 members continues to worship in its adjacent fellowship hall.

Founded during a period of widespread racial discrimination, the church became a key cultural and spiritual resource for Japanese immigrants who settled in the region in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Over time, the church witnessed several significant events, including the forced incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II and the urban redevelopment that dismantled much of Japantown. These events have shaped the church’s role as a vital space for community, providing support and continuity during times of upheaval.

In recent years, the church has faced new challenges due to a proposed $3 billion downtown redevelopment project led by the Smith Entertainment Group. The plan includes extensive commercial, residential, and entertainment developments that could affect both the church and the nearby Salt Lake Buddhist Temple. The project raises concerns about increased traffic, limited accessibility, and the potential for the church and temple to be overshadowed by new construction. It also evokes painful memories of 1966, when urban renewal efforts severely impacted much of Japantown. This situation highlights a broader national debate on balancing development with the preservation of historically significant sites and the memories they hold.

Despite these challenges, the Japanese Church of Christ remains a significant institution in the community. It is not only a place of worship but also hosts cultural events, language classes, and other activities that help preserve the Japanese American heritage in Utah. Its continued existence highlights the ongoing efforts to maintain historical and cultural landmarks in the face of urban development.

📌APIA Every Day (259) - Koreatown in Dallas emerged in the 1980s as a vibrant commercial district along Royal Lane and Harry Hines Boulevard. This transformation began when Korean American entrepreneurs established businesses in what was previously an industrial area. Initially, many Korean-owned businesses were concentrated along Belt Line Road in Irving before migrating to this Dallas location. By the 1990s and early 2000s, the district experienced rapid growth, with over 200 Korean-owned businesses thriving in the area. The commercial ecosystem grew organically, starting with wholesale businesses and expanding to include restaurants, grocery stores, banks, law offices, and other supporting enterprises.

While the district flourished for decades, it has faced significant decline in recent years. Contributing factors include the COVID-19 pandemic, economic shifts, and the migration of businesses to suburban areas like Carrollton, which now boasts its own Koreatown. Today, the number of Korean-owned businesses in the original district has decreased to approximately 50-60, with many original establishments either closing or relocating. Despite this downturn, the area continues to host key cultural and commercial establishments that serve both Korean and non-Korean communities, maintaining a connection to its heritage.

In an effort to preserve and revitalize the area, the Greater Dallas Korean American Chamber of Commerce is working to obtain an official Koreatown designation from the city. This initiative includes installing street toppers on Royal Lane from Luna Road to Harry Hines Boulevard. According to Pew Research Center data from 2019, approximately 41,000 Korean Americans lived in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, though local Korean consular offices estimate the number may be even higher. Securing this designation represents not only a step toward economic rejuvenation but also a celebration of the cultural contributions Korean Americans have made to the region, ensuring Koreatown’s legacy for future generations.

📌APIA Every Day (258) - The Cleveland Chinese Mission School was founded in 1937 in Mississippi's Delta region as a direct response to the educational challenges faced by Chinese immigrant children following the 1927 Gong Lum v. Rice Supreme Court decision, which upheld their exclusion from white public schools. After the Civil War, Chinese immigrants were initially recruited by planters to replace freed African American laborers and later worked on the transcontinental railroad. By the early 20th century, their descendants faced significant barriers to education, prompting the community to take action.

In response to these challenges, the Cleveland Chinese Mission School was established in 1937 as a collaborative effort led by Chinese parents, the First Baptist Church, and local community leaders. Located near the Chinese Baptist Church in Cleveland, Mississippi, the school served immigrant families who had transitioned from agricultural labor to running family-owned grocery stores. It provided a structured educational environment that enabled children to pursue learning while also contributing to the success of their family businesses. These immigrants formed a close-knit community, prioritizing education and economic advancement while maintaining their cultural identity.

The school closed in 1951 when Chinese children were finally allowed to attend public schools in the Delta. Its building continued to serve the community as the Chinese Baptist Church until its demolition in 2003. In October 2012, thanks to the efforts of Raymond Wong, Frieda Quon, and other community members, a historic marker was erected to honor the school’s legacy. Today, the Mississippi Delta Chinese Heritage Museum at Delta State University preserves artifacts and records related to the school, including documentation of its original site.

📌APIA Every Day (257) - In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Chinese immigrants from Kwangtung, Fukien, and Shantung provinces arrived in Hawaii to work on sugar plantations, establishing fraternal organizations like the Chee Ying Society. Rooted in the Hung Men (Hoong Moon) tradition - a secret society founded in 1631 - these organizations evolved into mutual aid societies that provided crucial social, economic, and cultural support for immigrants in a challenging new environment.

The Chee Ying Society created a comprehensive support network through membership fees and donations, addressing nearly every aspect of immigrant life. Members received financial assistance, medical care, and social services, with the organization serving as a critical safety net for workers. Cultural preservation remained paramount, with the society facilitating traditional celebrations like the Kuan Ti festival and Chinese New Year and maintaining connections to homeland traditions through shared newspapers and social gatherings.

Part of a broader Pacific network of Hung Men societies, the Chee Ying Society allowed members to receive support across different locations, with travelers able to find assistance in local chapters. As political landscapes changed, these societies gradually shifted their focus, ultimately supporting Sun Yat-sen's revolutionary movements. What began as a survival strategy became a sophisticated social infrastructure preserving cultural identity and collective strength.

The society's two-story building embodied its complex social structure, featuring distinct spaces for public meetings, cultural practices, and social activities. Recognized on the National Register of Historic Places, the building reflected traditional social norms through strict gender segregation, with women restricted to the first floor and excluded from full membership - a microcosm of the immigrant experience that preserved cultural traditions in a new land.

📌APIA Every Day (256) - The Walnut Grove Gakuen Hall is a historically significant building constructed in 1927 by Japanese immigrants in California's Sacramento Delta region. It was built in direct response to the 1921 California segregation laws, which mandated separate schools for Asian students. The hall functioned as a community-funded language and cultural school, reflecting the determination of the Japanese immigrant community to preserve their heritage despite discriminatory policies like the Alien Land Law, which prohibited them from owning land. Remarkably, over 300 donors from the local Japanese community contributed funds to make this project a reality.

Designed by a Japanese architect from San Francisco, the hall employed three full-time teachers who taught Japanese language and culture to children. At the time, Walnut Grove's Japantown was predominantly Japanese, with Japanese farmers managing about 80% of the agricultural land in the area, despite enduring significant anti-Asian prejudice from local white residents. During World War II, when Japanese Americans were forcibly relocated to incarceration camps, a local white landowner held the Gakuen Hall in trust to ensure its preservation until the Japanese residents could return after the war. Once they returned, the hall resumed its role as a vital community space, serving as a gathering place where Japanese language and cultural traditions could be maintained.

In the 1970s, Japanese residents formed a cooperative estate to purchase the land on which the hall stood, ensuring its ownership remained in the community. By 2011, the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency completed a significant rehabilitation project, and the hall was officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Today, the Gakuen Hall serves as both a community and nutritional center, primarily benefiting elderly Issei who originally helped establish it, continuing its legacy as a cornerstone of cultural preservation.

📌APIA Every Day (255) - Little India, located along Devon Avenue in Chicago, is a vibrant ethnic neighborhood shaped by two major waves of South Asian immigration. The first wave began in 1965 with the passage of the Immigration and Naturalization Act, which brought highly skilled professionals, such as doctors and engineers, from South Asia. As Jewish families moved to the suburbs, South Asian immigrants established businesses and created a sense of community. By the early 1970s, landmark establishments like The Sari Palace and Patel Brothers grocery store marked the area’s transformation.

The second wave, in the 1980s and 1990s, brought family members sponsored by earlier immigrants. This era saw a significant expansion of businesses along Devon Avenue, turning the area into a hub of South Asian culture. Although commonly called "Little India," the neighborhood is a diverse mix of South Asian communities, including Indians, Pakistanis, Sri Lankans, and Bangladeshis, as well as immigrants from other regions like Croatia and Syria.

Today, Devon Avenue is a cultural corridor where visitors can experience authentic South Asian life through its aromatic restaurants, colorful sari shops, and bustling grocery stores. It’s more than a commercial district—it’s a vibrant community that celebrates Chicago’s immigrant heritage and cultural diversity.

📌APIA Every Day (254) - Fouha Bay, located on Guam's southwestern coast, is a site of immense historical and cultural importance to the CHamoru people. Dominating the bay is Laso Fu'a (Fouha Rock), a 150-foot limestone pillar that holds a central place in CHamoru creation mythology. The area is also rich in archaeological significance, with discoveries of ancient CHamoru pottery and evidence of a thriving coastal community that relied on fresh water, marine resources, and abundant local vegetation.

The CHamoru creation myth revolves around Puntan and Fu'una, a divine brother and sister who shaped the universe through profound acts of sacrifice. According to the legend, Puntan’s body was transformed into the elements of existence: his back became the earth, his chest became the sky, one eye became the sun, the other the moon, and his eyebrows formed rainbows. In the final act of creation, Fu'una sacrificed herself, transforming into Fouha Rock, from which the first humans emerged. This myth not only explained the origins of the world but also imparted essential cultural and moral lessons about cooperation, sacrifice, and familial unity.

The arrival of Spanish colonizers in the 16th century brought dramatic changes to the cultural landscape of Fouha Bay. Spanish missionaries actively sought to suppress traditional CHamoru spiritual practices, destroying sacred sites and constructing Catholic missions to assert the dominance of Christianity. Despite these efforts, the CHamoru people preserved their connection to ancestral beliefs and sacred spaces. Historical accounts from the 1600s and 1700s describe Fouha Rock as a place "looked upon with sacred dread, as the birthplace of the human race." Even under Spanish rule, CHamorus found ways to retain their cultural identity, often blending indigenous traditions with Catholic practices.

Today, Fouha Bay continues to be a significant cultural site, designated a National Natural Landmark in 1972. Modern CHamoru cultural practices include occasional pilgrimages to the site, where traditional ceremonies are performed. The bay remains a vital link to the past, connecting contemporary CHamoru people with their ancestral heritage and preserving the story of Guam's indigenous culture.