About FANHS

The Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS) was founded in Seattle, Washington, by Dorothy Laigo Cordova in 1982. It was incorporated in the State of Washington as a non-profit organization in 1985. Dorothy’s late husband, Fred Cordova, served as FANHS Founding President and Archivist.

Since then, FANHS has continued to grow as a volunteer-run organization, governed by 27-members of the FANHS Board of Trustees, with the FANHS National Office and National Pinoy Archives in Seattle, Washington; a FANHS National Museum in Stockton, California; and 40+ Chapters throughout the United States of America.

The Filipino American National Historical Society began commemorating October as Filipino American History Month nationwide in 1992, 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, scholars, and anyone interested

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.

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.