Day 59: Filipino Community Hall, Wapato, Washington
📌APIA Every Day (59) - The Filipino Community Hall, located in Wapato, Washington, is recognized as the first Filipino Hall built in the West, according to the National Filipino-American Historical Society in Seattle. Established through bonds, loans, and fundraising events, the hall has been serving the Yakima Valley’s Filipino community for over 70 years since March 22, 1952. In 1918, the initial wave of Filipino immigrants arrived in the Yakima Valley, experiencing mob violence threatening Filipino farmworkers and their families until the 1930s. The 1937 Amended Alien Land Act further exacerbated their situation, leading to the arrest of 18 Filipino farmers. In response, the community formed the "Filipino Community of Yakima Valley" and successfully fought for the farmers' release.
In the early 1940s, Chief Jobe Charlie of the Yakama Nation leased tribal land to Filipinos, enabling them to settle in the Yakima Valley. Organized with traditional support networks, the Filipino community established itself as a settled and permanent part of America. Recognizing the importance of community, Filipino families built a community hall in 1952, giving rise to the present-day Filipino Community Hall.
Organizations such as the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS) and the Filipino American Community of Yakima Valley are actively engaged in historic preservation initiatives. These efforts involve recording oral histories, completing 20 to 30 Historic Property Inventory Forms for properties associated with Filipino American history, and nominating two sites for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places. Notably, these groups recently secured the designation of the Filipino Community Hall of Yakima Valley on the National Register of Historic Places. Established over 70 years ago, the hall stands as a physical symbol of Filipino American history in the U.S., ensuring the preservation of the Filipino American community’s contributions to Yakima Valley.
LEARN MORE:
Yakima Valley Libraries: An Uncommon Community
Seattle Times: Filipino Community Hall in Wapato Gets Historic Recognition
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