Chronology of the Asian-American Movement at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

1971
Asian Political Alliance or Yissho-Yigung is formed Movement at Pioneer and Huron High School Yissho-Yigung is dissolved A new organization, East Wind, is formed.

1973
East Wind participates in the "Third World Solidarity Conference" at U of M.

1974
East Wind:

  • joins Ethnic Alliance and participates in 2nd Annual Ann Arbor Ethnic Fair to link with the community.
  • pushes administration -- study is produced to assess needs of Asian American community and deficiencies of University facilities and services .
  • submits proposal for establishment of Asian American Advocate to the Vice-President of the Office of Student Services Response: Proposal failed to show that Asian Americans were discriminated on U-M campus and that existing services to minorities were adequate; inadequate funding for an Advocate's office.

1975
East Wind:

  • sponsors poets, writers and singers on the U-M campus to develop awareness and pride of historical and cultural background.
  • provides peer counseling: academic, psychological and career, along with programs on history and culture (solely ran by students with no administrative funding).
  • pursues the University's recognition of Asian Americans as minorities.
  • gives presentations on the Asian American experience to high school students at Willow Run and Pioneer High Schools.
  • stages a sit-in and demonstration at Administration Building with other Third World Students and Asian Americans Response: Vice-President of the Office of Student Services issues a signed statement of commitment to Asian American students—nothing done until East Wind meets with the Vice-President in.

1976
East Wind:

  • presents a proposal to the Minority Admissions Board of the Law School to include Asian Americans in minority admissions Response: Proposal rejected.
  • proposes establishment of a permanent Asian American course to American Studies Department, Sociology Department and Center for Japanese and Chinese Studies. Response: Proposals rejected on grounds of University hiring freeze.
  • creates an Asian American Orientation program Commission for Minority Affairs asks for Asian American representative Third World Women's Caucus of Commission for Minority Affairs is formed.

1976
East Wind:

  • meets with Admissions Office for active recruitment of Asian Americans Response: Admissions office willing to give a workshop with Asian American volunteers to recruit for the University.
  • begins annual orientations for all incoming and returning students.
  • teaches a 2 credit course about "The Asian American Experience" -- history, literature, media stereotypes, political movements, male and female roles, films, and speakers.

1978
Report to the President -- from President's Commission on Mental Health: services inadequate for bicultural and bilingual needs of minority groups.

1979
East Wind is renamed Asian American Association (AAA).

1983
Korean Students Association is formed Stockwell-week of Asian American Awareness -- Chinese Dances, slideshow on "Asian Images Images in the Media" Asian American Association publishes a literary magazine Collage: Asian American Images.

1984
A new course Asian American Experience taught by K. Scott Wong is introduced. Asian American umbrella group is formed to facilitate communication between groups and program Asian American months, as well as a vehicle for students to advise the administration on Asian American concerns through the Affirmative Actions Office.

1986
K. Scott Wong teaches American Culture 210: The Asian American Experience - Topics in Asian American History Asian American Association participates in Freedom March Against Racism and Apartheid.
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1987
United Coalition Against Racism is established University of Michigan Asian Student Coalition (UMASC) is formed.

1988
Umbrella group called United Asian Organizations (UAO) is established Members: Asian American Association, Filipino American Students Association, Indian American Students Association, Korean Students Association, UM Asian Students Coalition, and Vietnamese Students Association Pam Motoike is hired by UM Counseling Services Asian American Association helps residence halls attain "Rice" and "Asianweek" periodicals for the Residence Hall Libraries Six Asian American students are targets of racist remarks at a fraternity party and are refused an apology Response: 150 students, faculty, and Ann Arbor residents, including representatives of sixteen minority organizations, march to the fraternity house to protest University of Michigan Asian Student Coalition (UMASC) submits 3 proposals which are denied: 1) creating lecture series-Asian Americans in underrepresented fields 2) funding for Asian Awareness Month 3) creating Asian American Heritage Room/Resource Center.

1989
November and January are designated Asian American Awareness Months Asian American Association forms Advocacy Committee Minicourse on Asian American Ethnic Identity is sponsored by Pilot Program in Alice Lloyd by Pam Motoike UM Asian Students Coalition forms an acting troupe as a result of cartoons portraying stereotypes of Asian Americans being published in South Quad newsletter UMASC helps to hire Dr. Steven Sumida into the English Dept. and Dr. Gail Nomura into the American Culture Dept.

1990
First performance of "Point of View" by UMASC acting troupe One full course and one minicourse on Asian American culture are established Korean language program is formed University of Michigan Asian Students Coalition becomes University of Michigan Asian American Students Coalition (UMAASC) United Asian Organizations becomes United Asian American Organizations (UAAO) United Asian American Organizations helps to hire Yeeleng Hang as the Asian American representatives for the Minority Student Services APA Women's Journal publishes its first issue.

1991
UAAO hosts first annual "Passing the Torch" Asian American Leadership summit UAAO hosts first annual charity dance for the Ann Arbor Shelter Association Martin Luther King Day Panel Discussion on the status of Asian Americans-"Anti-Asian American Violence: Exploring Myth and Reality" UAAO hosts Midwest Asian American Student Union Spring Conference.

1992
First United Asian American Organizations (UAAO) constitution is ratified UAAO hosts first Project Lighthouse to recruit underprivileged Asian Americans in Detroit to the University.

1993
First Asian American Agenda -compiles and submits a unified budget proposal by UAAO based on all member organizations' annual budgets -addresses diversity, perception of Asian Americans, and Asian American recruitment.

1994
Midwest Asian American Students Union conference is held at University of Michigan Asian American Studies program is fully established under American Culture Department United Asian American Organizations' first officer corps is established OAMI recognizes, sponsors, and expands Project Lighthouse Asian Pacific American Programs Task Force forms.

1995
Hawaii Club forms First annual Asian Pacific American cultural show: Generation APA First APA handbook is published.

1996
UAAO develops committee structure.

1997
The Yuri Kochiyama Lounge in South Quad is dedicated A. Magazine ranks UM 15th for APAs. First UAAO retreat is held at Camp Tamarack First annual Gandhi Day of Service established.The Gandhi Tree of Knowledge is also dedicated and planted on the Diag. First archives are sent to Bentley Library.

1998
Yuri Kochiyama Award, a Saturday academy for high school students, is developed. UAAO hosts MAASU conference. Generation APA is a part of the conference. Hundreds of students from the Midwest are impressed A. Magazine profiles UAAO, hailed as a model for building an APA community.

2000
Asian Pacific American Studies program under American Culture is reinvigorated with four new faculty hires. The Students of Color Coalition (SCC) submits a 14-point petition to the University outlining demands to improve campus climate for students of color. SCC holds a 38-day occupation of the 7th floor of the Union in protest of Michigamua.

2001
UAAO hosts "Empower APA", the MAASU 2001 Spring Conference. Generation APA is a part of the conference. Over 650 participants from the Midwest and across the nation participate in the conference.

2002
During Winter Term, UAAO and a coalition of other APA and student of color organizations host Hate Crime Symposium. UAAO submits a document to V.P of Student Affairs to for 1) an increase in the annual funding allocation to the MESA APA Coordinator to $65,000, 2) an addition of a Middle-Eastern Community Coordinator position to the Office of Multi-Ethnic Student Affairs (MESA), 3) A progamming budget for the Director of MESA to create programs that stimulate inter-ethnic, cross-cultural interactions among all communities of color, and 4) a plan of action to address the abnormal level of Asian/APA University student deaths on campus. A comprehensive response to address these proposals has not been given. During Fall Term, Asian Pacific American Studies renames itself to Asian Pacific Islander American (APIA) Studies. UAAO joins boycott of the Michigan Daily, and passes a resolution against the war in Iraq.

2003
APIA Studies announces the creation of an APIA Studies Minor. APIA Studies faculty has reached 9 core faculty members and numerous associate members from other departments. There are over 30 UAAO member organizations. Ronald Takaki is Opening Speaker and Grace Lee Boggs is keynote speaker for MLK Symposium. Coalition of APA Social Work Students hosts social justice conference, Challenges and Triumphs: Collaborating for Social Justice in APIA Communities. Members participate in affirmative action rally in Washington D.C. on day of Supreme Court hearings of U-M lawsuits.