Alaska has passed a resolution declaring October 2010 as Filipino American History Month. Supported by the bi-partisan working group in the Senate, the House voted unanimously to approve SCR 14 which would recognize October 2010 as Filipino American History Month. Representative Thelma Buchholdt, who passed away in 2007, was the first Filipino American elected to a state legislature and served in the House from 1974 to 1982. Her name was referred to in a floor speech urging all members to vote yes.

You can see a copy of the resolution at the Alaska Legislature Web site at http://www.legis.state.ak.us/PDF/26/Bills/SCR014A.PDF (Outside Source).

I encourage everyone to focus on some aspect of Filipino American history during the month of October. Please visit http://www.alaskero.com (Outside Source) later this summer for more information and ideas on how Alaskans will celebrate Filipino American History Month.

If you want even more ideas sooner, attend the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS) conference this summer from July 21-24, 2010. For more information, please visit the FANHS Web site at http://www.fanhs-national.org/ (Outside Source).