Organizer: Asian American/Asian Research Institute

Type/Location: Virtual

Description:

As early as the Civil War, a dozen Filipino men living in Massachusetts enlisted in the Union army. In the 1900s, Filipino pensionados studied at Harvard, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and other colleges. After the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, Filipino medical, military, and other professionals settled in and around Greater Boston in Cambridge, Lexington, Malden, and Quincy. To support their communities, Filipino immigrants founded civic organizations such as the Philippine Medical Association of New England, the Pilipino-American Association of New England, and the Philippine Nurses Association of New England. Since 1976, parents have been volunteering at Iskwelahang Pilipino (Filipino school) to encourage their American-born children’s pride in Filipino traditions. Included are never-before-seen photographs of the Aquino family during their time in exile. This book highlights the rich histories of Filipinos in Greater Boston and aims to inspire more works that document our immigrant community that has grown in the early 21st century to over 25,000 people.

Speaker:

Mary Talusan Lacanlale is an assistant professor of Asian-Pacific studies at California State University, Dominguez Hills. She is the author of Instruments of Empire: Filipino Musicians, Black Soldiers, and Military Band Music During US Colonization of the Philippines, co-editor of Our Culture Resounds, Our Future Reveals: A Legacy of Filipino American Performing Arts in California, and co-producer of Kulintang Kultura: Danongan Kalanduyan and Gong Music of the Philippine Diaspora. She performs with the Pakaraguian Kulintang Ensemble.

Registration:

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