Historical Memories Are Made of These
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Book Review: The Smithsonian Asian Pacific American History, Art and Culture in 101 Objects. Theodore S. Gonzalves, editor. (Smithsonian Books, 2023)
Theo Gonzalves (Photo by Gena Romasanta)
The Beginning
In 2021, Gonzalves, who was the interim director of the Asian Pacific American Center (APAC) at that time, was exploring the possibility of an Asian Pacific American gallery as he started “thinking about the Smithsonian’s relationship to the Asian American and Pacific Islander collection.” After talking to his colleagues, he found out there was an earlier version of an exhibit called APA 101 that entailed borrowing artifacts from around the county. This exhibit did not take place for a number of reasons, but it led Gonzalves to think about the possibility of getting images of the objects and building a book around it. The book was originally planned to come out in 2022 for the 25th anniversary of APAC.
Gonzalves consulted with Richard Kurin, the author of The Smithsonian’s History of America in 101 Objects. Kurin supported and encouraged the idea to focus on APA histories. He also told Gonzalves, that the idea for the The Smithsonian’s History of America in 101 Objects came from the British Museum that published A History of the World in 100 Objects. The book was written by its director, Neil MacGregor, who also wrote and narrated the popular BBC radio series with the same name.
All Things Great Start with a Spreadsheet
Gonzalves started working with curatorial assistant Thanh Lieu in putting together data into a spreadsheet. They initially scanned the public databases of the 21 museums and nine research centers of the Smithsonian to identify objects to be included in the book. They came up with 1,200 objects.
Gonzalves then consulted with a smaller group of AAPI specialists and a core group of art historians and curators, asking for their recommendations with this question: “What objects are there that can help someone understand Asian American and Pacific Islander history?” Keeping in mind that it is “to help educators and learners of all ages.”
Several conversations later, the 1,200 objects were whittled down to 600, then with great difficulty, lowered to 200. From these objects, Gonzalves and his team started to find “clusters of topics” that led to the nine chapters of the book that focused on “specific experiences of the Asian America Pacific Islander life.” Gonzalves was more interested in the “juxtaposition within the chapters” instead of following the traditional chronology. Readers who want to see a chronological account will find it at the end of the book.
Many of the objects are not the rock stars of their respective collections. Several are little-known or are not on display. Gonzalves explained that this was a deliberate decision, because “many histories are obscure,” pointing out that that “what's important is to be able to tell those stories that hopefully can be connected to other stories within Asian American and Pacific Islander history.”
The Highlights
As a Filipino, I naturally gravitated towards the objects related to Philippine history and culture. Of the 101 objects, I counted 14 that are associated with Filipino Americans. There may be more as some of the objects refer to Asian Americans. This is not surprising given that Filipinos have had a long relationship with the United States, settling in Louisiana in the 1700s, and that the Philippines was a colony of the United States. Aside from the Filipino objects in the book, there was also an undeniably Filipino presence behind the making of it. Gonzalves points out that there’s “great Filipino energy all throughout the book,” proudly saying that “it’s kinda sewn into the DNA of the book itself.” Aside from Gonzalvez, Christina Newhard who made the book design, and editor, Jean Vengua are of Filipino descent.
Book designer Christina Newhard (Photo courtesy of Christina Newhard)
Co-editor Jean Vengua (Photo by M.A. Fink)
There are stories that resonate more than others. The stick chart from the Marshall Islands captured my imagination with the heading “Boundless Space,” making me want to see how the stick charts helped the Marshallese navigate the swells, waves and land. I liked the little details on the walking map of South Philadelphia refugee communities, providing tips such as finding the “beef stick lady” who only accepts cash along Snyder Avenue. I appreciated how Lucille Tenazas’s poster “peregriNasyon: Is America in the Heart?” was decoded and how TNT was cleverly included. There were also little gifts such as discovering the music of Joe Bataan and liking it. I felt the quiet pride in the feature on Congressional Gold Medals that were awarded to Asian American who fought in World War II, recalling how Filipino veterans had to fight another battle for decades before receiving their benefits. My teenagers, after I showed a few pages, found the story of the yo-yo the most interesting. Many stories were difficult to read: the many injustices Asian American and Pacific Islanders went through because of their race as in the case of Balbir Singh Sodhi, who lost his life because he wore a Sikh turban.
The carefully thought out themes -- navigation, intersections, labor, innovation, belonging, tragedy, resistance and solidarity, community, service, memory and joy --are introduced in each section were deliberately ordered. I thought it appropriate that they started with navigation, as immigrants navigate their way to a new country and a different way of life. Gonzalves explains that they deliberately placed tragedy in the middle of the book. He explained that there had to be a chapter “devoted to tragedy and violence and the worst that has happened to and between Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.” However, he didn’t want it to be the central story that they are victims. The chapters that follow provide inspiration on how people have with racism, and with the uplifting theme of joy, and the infinite possibilities that go with it.
Stella Abrera ballet shoes (Source: NMAH)
Filipino cutters in the asparagus fields on Ryer Island, California, photographed by Dorothea Lange on April 4, 1940 (Image courtesy of the National Archives and Records Administration)
Moro brass helmet from Iligan, Mindanao, Philippines, ca. early 1900s.
(Source: NMNH)
What Comes Next
While there are no specific plans yet, Gonzalves mentioned the possibility of the content will be added to the Smithsonian’s Learning Lab, a wonderful teaching tool that teachers can use to present lessons using materials from the Smithsonian.
As I read the book, I could easily see how it would be wonderful to have an online exhibit based on these images with links to the actual events, places, performances, and people referred to in the book.
For readers who would like to see the objects in person, not all the objects presented in the book are on exhibit. The beauty of this collection is that it is not limited to what is on display, but the downside is, you may not get to see the actual artifact if you want to see it in person. Gonzalves explained that these objects can only be displayed a few months at a time, to help preserve them. There is one new object that Gonzalves excitedly said will definitely be on display this November at the National Museum of American History. The Smithsonian recently acquired the popular Filipino American rapper Ruby Ibarra’s jacket. (She deftly uses English and Tagalog in her music.)
One Important Lesson
Gonzalves fervently hopes that among the lessons he wants people to learn is that the terms Asian American, Asian American, Pacific Islander, Asian, Pacific American are not just census categories. For Gonzalves, these terms “represent a shared group of people who have worked for each other, they have struggled for each other” and have a “shared set of experiences of people who have cared for each other.
The Smithsonian Asian Pacific American History, Art, and Culture in 101 Objects will be on sale November 7th. Pre-orders are accepted.
Titchie Carandang is a freelance writer. Her articles have been published in the White House Quarterly, Northern Virginia Magazine, Metro Style, Connection Newspapers and other publications. She is the co-founder and was co-director of the Philippines on the Potomac Project (POPDC), where she researched Philippine American history in Washington, D.C. She has received awards from the Philippine American Press Club, the Mama Sita Foundation, and the Doreen Gamboa Fernandez Food Writing Award for her writing.
