This posting is inspired by Filipino-American Month Celebration for the Whole Month of October📜 Timeline of Filipinos in America
1587 – Morro Bay, California
Spanish galleon Nuestra Señora de Buena Esperanza, under Pedro de Unamuno, lands at present-day Morro Bay.
Among the crew were Luzon Indios (Filipinos).
They set up a cross, briefly explored, and had a violent encounter with Native Americans in which one Filipino sailor was killed.
They did not settle — the ship sailed on to Mexico.
This marks the first recorded presence of Filipinos in what is now the U.S.
1763 – Saint Malo, Louisiana
Filipino sailors (known as Manilamen) escaped Spanish ships in the Gulf of Mexico and established a fishing village in the Louisiana bayous.
This community, Saint Malo, is recognized as the first permanent Asian settlement in the United States.
The Manilamen were expert shrimpers and fishermen, blending with Cajun culture.
1898 – Spanish-American War
After the U.S. defeated Spain, the Philippines was ceded to the U.S.
This opened migration channels: Filipinos could travel as “U.S. nationals,” not foreigners, until Philippine independence in 1946.
Thousands came as students (pensionados), laborers in Hawaii, California, and Alaska, and servicemen in the U.S. Navy.
1900s–1930s – Agricultural and Cannery Workers
Filipinos worked in sugar plantations in Hawaii, farms in California’s Central Valley, and salmon canneries in Alaska.
They faced discrimination but also formed strong labor unions and communities.
1940s – WWII and U.S. Navy
Over 200,000 Filipinos served alongside Americans in WWII. My Father served as Dental Officer of the USFAFFE.
Many joined the U.S. Navy, settling in places like San Diego and Norfolk.
1965 – Immigration and Nationality Act
The removal of national-origin quotas allowed a new wave of Filipino migration.
Thousands of Filipino doctors, nurses, engineers, and other professionals came to the U.S.
I came to the US as Graduate student in 1960, later become a US Citizen in 1972
Today
The Filipino community is one of the largest Asian American groups, with vibrant populations in California, Hawaii, Nevada, New York/New Jersey, Texas, and beyond.
There are approximately 4.6 million Filipino-Americans in the United States, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey, making them the third-largest Asian American ethnicity in the country.Key Details:- Total Population: 4.6 million people.
- Rank: The third-largest Asian American group in the U.S.
- Source: Data from the U.S. Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey, as reported by the Pew Research Center.
Geographic Distribution:- California: Has the largest Filipino population, with 1.6 million residents.
- Other states: Hawaii, Texas, Florida, and Nevada also have large populations.
- Metropolitan areas: Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York have the largest concentrations of Filipino-Americans.
Meanwhile,
October is Filipino American History Month, a time to celebrate our culture, but also to remember the history and struggles that shaped our community.But beneath it all are the roots, the stories of migration, resilience, the Delano Grape Strike, racism with signs of “Positively No Filipinos Allowed”, colorism, language loss, and the constant balance of being “NOT FILIPINO ENOUGH.”The terraces remind us that our identity is layered. What people see at the top is only possible because of the roots that run deep.Know History. Know Self. This is Ancestor Made.Finally, Here's one of the many things my youngest daughter, Ditas is doing currently.
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