Smithsonian Asian Pacific American History, Art, and Culture in 101 Objects 

by Gonzalves, Theodore S.; Bunch III, Lonnie G.

• ISBN13: 9781588347510
• ISBN10: 1588347516
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2023-10-24
• Publisher: Smithsonian Books

Summary

A rich and compelling introduction to the history of Asian Pacific American communities as told through 101 objects, from a fortune cookie baking mold to the debut Ms. Marvel comic featuring Kamala Khan

Smithsonian Asian Pacific American History, Art, and Culture in 101 Objects invites readers to experience both well-known and untold stories through influential, controversial, and meaningful objects. Thematic chapters explore complex history and shared experiences: navigation, intersections, labor, innovation, belonging, tragedy, resistance and solidarity, community, service, memory, and joy. 

The book features vibrant full-color illustrations of objects that embody and engage with Asian Pacific American issues, including the immigrant experience, the importance of media representation, what history gets officially documented vs. what does not, and so much more. Those objects include: 

• Name tag for Challenger astronaut Ellison Onizuka
• Photograph of Hollywood actress Anna May Wong

• Hello Kitty bento box
• Stella Abrera's ballet shoes, pancaked to match her skin color
• Caravan’s Thailand: Songs for Life album

• Sewing kit of internment camp survivor May Ishimoto

• Nam June Paik's Electronic Superhighway: Continental U.S., Alaska, Hawaii

• The Devanagari typographical font patented by Hari Govind Govil

Asian Americans are the fastest growing group in the United States and include approximately 50 distinct ethnic groups, but their stories and experiences have often been sidelined or stereotyped. This spirited and beautifully illustrated book offers a vital window into the triumphs and tragedies, strength and ingenuity, and traditions and cultural identities of these communities. Smithsonian Asian Pacific American History, Art, and Culture in 101 Objects is a crucial and celebratory read.

Author Biography

THEODORE S. GONZALVES is curator of Asian Pacific American History at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History. A Fulbright Scholar and past president of the Association for Asian American Studies with more than 30 years of teaching experience in the United States, Spain, and the Philippines, he is the author of Filipinos in Hawai'i and coeditor of Gossip, Sex, & The End of the World: Collected Works of Tongue In A Mood. Gonzalves previously served as the director of the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center. Since 1977, the migratory museum has shared Asian Pacific American history, art, and culture through innovative experiences online and throughout the US.