Filipino American National Historical Society
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The Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS) was created out of a need to document Filipino American history for succeeding generations. Before Fred Cordova and his wife Dorothy Laigo Cordova took up the task, there was a paucity of information available about the Filipino American community's history in the United States.
Founded on 26 November 1982 in Seattle, Washington, the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS) is 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...” It was first chartered in Washington State on 7 January 1985. 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
The first board of trustees was elected with 27 members from 12 states on 1 November 1986. In the same year, Fred, who was the founding president of FANHS, created the National Pinoy Archives. Dorothy Cordova is the founder and serves as executive director.
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. The 2006 conference in June will be held in Honolulu, Hawaii.
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.
Since then, FANHS has grown in leaps and bounds, with twenty-seven chapters across the country. Each chapter is responsible for collecting historical documentation, memorabilia, and artifacts in their respective areas.
