In 1587, Luzon Indians were among a crew and landing party at Morro Bay in California. This was during the Spanish Occupation of California. Hence, the thread of Filipino influence in the United States stretches back over 400 years. At present, there are over 2,000,000 persons living in the U.S. who are either Filipino/Filipina or descendents of these people.
It is generally accepted that there has been four "waves" of Filipino immigration.
Prior to 1700s, Several Philippine-style fishing villages were established in Louisiana. These immigrants were credited with pioneering the dried shrimp industry on the Gulf Coast.
Antonio Miranda Rodriguez Poblador, along with 44 other individuals established Pueblo de Nuestra Senora reina de los Angeles for the Mexican government in 1781. This pueblo is now known as Los Angeles.
103 "Pensionados" were sent to the U.S. to get an American education. This was in the year, 1903. These events were chacterized as the "first wave."
The "second wave" of immigration was shortly after World War I when many Filipinos came to California as laborers. Many went to Alaska and worked in the canneries.
The "third wave" of immigration was after World War II, between 1945 and 1965. Filipinos were granted U.S. citizenship under the Tydings-McDuffie Act of 1942 for service in the U.S. Military. However, a sizeable amount of Filipinos joined the U.S. Navy as non-citizens during this time.
The "fourth wave" continues to this day. Under the Immigration Act of 1965, waves of professionals came to our shores, as many as 20,000 per year.
The contribution to American from these remarkable people is extensive: Agapito Flores invented the flourescent light in the 1940s; Edwardo San Juan was the conceptual designer of the "Moon Rover" and "Moon Buggy"; and many others in various fields of endeavor.
It is nearly impossible to list the obstacles that had to be overcome by the early immigrants. Their stories of courage, loyalty, and perserverence would need further research and study.
I heartly recommend the following references:
Carlos Bulosan, America is in the Heart. University of Washington Press, Seattle, 1946. The struggle of immigrant worker on the West Coast in the early twentieth century is told with great skill and wisdom. This book has no equal in it genre.
Le Espiritu, Yen. Filipino American Lives. Temple University Press 1995, Philadelphia. A good start for the novice, a good refresher for the scholar.
Nita Mondonedo Smith. Say Uncle!Life in DC with my Filipino Uncles. Outskirts Press, 2005, Denver. The lives of 10 uncles from Manila, La Union, Cavite and other cities who immigrated to Washington, DC in the 20th century. Revealing personal memoir-Highly recommended.
Nita Mondonedo Smith. Forever in our Hearts. PublishAmerica, 2005. Although this book is primarily about the author growing up in an orphange, it details the struggles of Filipino and Filiino-Americans in the 50s and 60s. A good place to start your research.
Linda Perin. Coming to America. Immigrants from the Far East.Delacorte Press. New York, 1980. Excellent overview.
In closing, I believe that diversity in our country is an asset and not a liability. The contributions of those who came to our shores,the hardships oversome, the victories won serve as examples and incentives for all who strive to gain "a piece of the pie."
Gene M. Smith holds a B.A. from the University of the State of New York, Albany. He is listed in Who's Who in America, 2005. He lives near Kearneysville, West Virginia.