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Illinois REALTORS® recognizes and applauds the contributions of Filipino Americans, German Americans, Italian Americans and Polish Americans in our country’s history and keeping our communities vibrant today.
Initially, interested members of the public organized parades, festivals and parties, which sometimes led to more formal recognition. A day or a week of celebration eventually gave way to monthlong celebrations. Here’s a brief recap:
Filipino American History Month
In 1992, the Filipino American National Historical Society proposed Filipino American History Month in October to commemorate the birth month of Filipino American labor leader Larry Itliong and the arrival of the first Filipinos who landed in Morro Bay, Calif., in October 1587.
The state of California recognized Filipino American History Month in 2006. The state of Hawaii did the same in 2008.
In 2009, the U.S. Congress passed a resolution making Filipino American History Month official. The U.S. population of Filipino Americans was estimated at more than 4.2 million by the U.S. Census Bureau.
German American Heritage Month
German Day was first celebrated on Oct. 6, 1883, to commemorate the 13 families from Krefeld, Germany who landed in Philadelphia, Pa, 200 years earlier. Those families went on to create the first German settlement in the original 13 colonies, Germantown, Pa. In honor of the 300-year anniversary, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed German American Day in 1983. Today, it is known as German American Heritage Day.
In 1987, Reagan proclaimed October as German American Heritage Month. In 2021, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated the number of Americans with German ancestry at 42.2 million.
Italian American Heritage and Culture Month
In 1989, the U.S. Congress designated the month of October as Italian American Heritage and Culture Month. Presidents George H.W. Bush (1989 and 1990), Bill Clinton (1993) and by Barack Obama (2010) have issued proclamation as well. The month was chosen to coincide with Columbus Day, now celebrated on the second Monday in October.
The U.S. Census Bureau in 2021 estimated the number of Americans with Italian ancestry at 15.9 million.
Polish American Heritage Month
First celebrated informally in August 1981 by the Polish American Cultural Center in Philadelphia, Pa. Presidents Reagan, George H. W. Bush and Clinton each proclaimed October as Polish American Heritage Month, citing military contributions of Tadeusz Kosciuszko and Casimir Pulaski during the American Revolutionary War and many Americans of Polish descent since then. October was chosen because the first Polish settlers arrived in Jamestown, Va., in October 1608. Also, Pulaski died in October.
The U.S. Census Bureau in 2021 estimated the number of Americans with Polish ancestry at 8.2 million
