Asian American Curriculum Project

Asian American Curriculum Project, Inc. (AACP), based in San Mateo, California, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating the public about the great diversity of the Asian American experience through the sale, distribution, and publication of relevant books and other educational material. The organization formed in 1969 as the Japanese American Curriculum Project, Inc. (JACP) and was incorporated in 1970. It was founded by local Japanese American educators who wanted to establish a Japanese American/Asian American perspective. By 1999 JACP changed its name to Asian American Curriculum Project (AACP) to reflect the changing demographics and the expanding image of the Asian Pacific Americans.

Since it began as a Japanese American organization, its books and other materials were strongly influenced by Japanese American history and culture. They would develop K-12 educational tools such as a teacher's guide to help teach about the concentration camp experience. Many of its publications touch on the wartime incarceration of Japanese Americans, including memoirs by such key figures as lawyer Frank Chuman , playwright Hiroshi Kashiwagi , and redress activist Tsuyako "Sox" Kitashima. Later the books and other materials being offered expanded to cover a variety of age groups, levels of education, and Asian ethnic groups, including and not limited to Cambodian, Chinese, Filipino, Hmong, Indian, Japanese, Korean, Laotian, Samoan, Tongan, Thai, & Vietnamese Americans and Hawaiians. Their materials include literature, folk tales, posters, magazine, tapes on language and music, games, activities, teachers guides, dictionaries, bilingual materials and reference books on history, social issues and education.

One of its founders, Florence M. Hongo, has remained with AACP through its many ups and downs. Hongo is the general manager and the president of the Board of Directors.

Authored by Lewis Kawahara

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Last updated July 15, 2015, 7:30 p.m..