Painted
by Eliseo Silva along the wall of a postal annex, this mural documents
major events in the history of Filipinos in the US as well as the
homeland, stressing the deep connection between the two countries.
Until recently, Filipinos were the largest Asian American group
in California (currently the Chinese are) and have a long history
in the region. Although Filipinos began coming to the US in the
late 1800s, they did not come in large numbers until the early 20th
century when they came as agricultural workers who formed “Bachelor
Societies.” Asian women were largely excluded from immigrating.
Filipinos were also subject to anti-miscegenation laws and other
forms of discrimination. By the 1920s and 1930 the Los Angeles Filipino
community was concentrated in the downtown area around Bunker Hill,
where they created such institutions as the Filipino Christian Church,
the Pilipino American Reading Room and Library, as well as restaurants
and dance halls, and more recently, the Filipino American Community
of Los Angeles (FACLA) building. |
