FilipinX American History Month
Celebrated in October, Filipino American (Fil-Am) History Month honors the history,
pursuits, accomplishments, and legacy of Filipinos in the United States. It also serves
to provide a link between Filipinos in the U.S. and Filipinos in the Philippines by
showcasing their shared culture and heritage.
"Filipino Americans are the second largest Asian American group in the nation and
the second largest ethnic group in California. The celebration of Filipino American
History Month in October commemorates the first recorded presence of Filipinos in
the continental United States, when Luzones Indios, native Filipino sailors conscripted
into the Spanish navy as labor during the Manila-Acapulco galleon trade, came ashore
from the Spanish galleon Nuestra Senora de Esperanza and landed at what is now Morro
Bay, California, on Oct. 18, 1587. After years of advocacy by individuals and organizations,
in 2009 the United States Congress recognized October as Filipino American History
Month. “ --From the Asian Art Museum Website (Celebrate Filipino American History
Month | Asian Art Museum)
Downloadable Zoom Backgrounds
Below are some high quality Zoom backgrounds you can download. Just right click them, and save them to your computer.
One of the Zoom backgrounds features the Gintong Kasaysayan, Gintong Pamana (A Glorious History, A Golden Memory) mural in Historic Filipinotown, Los Angeles, by the Filipino American artist, Eliseo Art Silva. This powerful mural honors many of the activists and leaders in the Filipinx American community. According to the L.A. Conservancy, “The design is organized in two parts: the first half (to the south) is historical, including the awakening of Filipino national and political consciousness. The second part (to the north) is dominated by a huge bird with significant Filipino Americans on its wings, farmworkers on the bottom, and youth and community members on the right. The mural was named one of the top 20 iconic murals in Los Angeles by L.A. Weekly.