ENROLLED JOINT RESOLUTION
Relating to: proclaiming October 2025 as Filipino American History Month in the state of Wisconsin.
Whereas, the first documented landing of Filipinos in the continental United States occurred in October 1587, when the Manila-built galleon ship Nuestra Señora de Esperanza arrived at what is now Morro Bay, California; and
Whereas, the Filipino American National Historical Society recognizes 1763 as the year in which the first permanent Filipino settlement in the United States was established, in St. Malo, Louisiana; and
Whereas, the Filipino American community is the third-largest Asian American and Pacific Islander group in the United States, with a population of approximately 4,600,000 people; and
Whereas, more than 22,000 Wisconsinites identify as Filipino; and
Whereas, since 2000, the Filipino American community has grown by 78 percent, making it one of the fastest-growing Asian American groups in the United States; and
Whereas, Filipino Americans have contributed greatly to the cultural, political, social, and economic prosperity of the United States and the state of Wisconsin; and
Whereas, Filipinos and Filipino Americans have a longstanding history of serving in the U.S. Armed Forces, from the Civil War to the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts, including 250,000 Filipinos who fought alongside American soldiers during World War II; and
Whereas, Filipino Americans have played an integral role in countless fields that enrich the United States, including agriculture, health care, music, dance, literature, education, business, hospitality, journalism, sports, fashion, government, science, and technology; and
Whereas, Filipino American History Month has been celebrated in the United States since 1991, to commemorate the arrival of the first Filipinos in this country more than 425 years ago and to reflect on the notable contributions of Filipino Americans to the United States; and
Whereas, it is essential to promote the understanding, education, and appreciation of Filipino American history and culture, as the roles of Filipino Americans have largely been overlooked in the writing, teaching, and learning of the history of the United States; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the senate, the assembly concurring, That the members of the Wisconsin Legislature proclaim October 2025 as Filipino American History Month and celebrate the heritage and culture of Filipino Americans.
