Filipino American National Historical Society | Washington State Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs

The Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS) is truly a community-based organization whose mission is “…to preserve, document, and present Filipino American history and to support scholarly research and artistic works which reflect that rich past…” The national office and archives is housed in Seattle, operating year-round to lend expertise and support to twenty-seven chapters across the United States and is recognized as the primary informational resource on Filipino Americans for:

community organizations
primary and secondary schools, colleges, and universities
local and national museums and historical associations
independent authors, playwrights, and filmmakers
teachers, students, and scholars

Since 1987, FANHS has sponsored national conferences (later ratified as a biennial event) where community folks of all ages and from all walks of life gather to share and present research, network with other Filipino Americans, and honor those who have produced ground-breaking innovative work in the field of historical research and analysis. Our 2010 conference will be held in Seattle, WA. Past projects include the award-winning video Filipino Americans Discovering Their Past for the Future; the renowned pictorial essay Filipinos: Forgotten Asian Americans; and various regional publications and photo exhibits. The FANHS national network, comprised of 30 chapters throughout the United States, was founded by Dr. Dorothy Laigo Cordova and Dr. Fred Cordova in 1982.