Asian / Pacific Islander Americans

The U.S. Census Bureau defines “race” as a person’s self-identification with one or more social groups, which may be Asian, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, or multiple races, or some other race. The Bureau also uses “ethnicity” as a data point, but only for Hispanic or Latino.  Although Asian descent can be traced back to many various countries or regions, the Bureau specifically defines Asian as Far East, Southeast Asia, Indian (subcontinent), and Pacific Islander as Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, and Pacific Islands. While there has been, and continues to be, some disagreement as to which terms are appropriate or inappropriate, for search purposes, all relevant words and phrases should be tested.

Information on the subject of Asian and Pacific Islander history and culture in the United States will be useful in many courses and for personal reading and enrichment.  Although College of the Redwoods does not offer a degree or certificate in this topic, interested students may wish to transfer to a four year college that does offer it as a major. The library supports student's understanding and cultural awareness of the value of multiculturalism and diversity by providing selected resources.

Always ask your instructor what citation style should be used for research projects. See below for links to helpful resources.