Just over a year ago, President Joe Biden signed a bipartisan bill that created a commission to study whether a National Museum of Asian Pacific American History and Culture. However, only about one-in-four Asian Americans (24%) consider themselves extremely or very informed about the history of Asian people in the United States, said a recent survey by PEW Research Centre.
The report points out that just five percent of Asian Americans say they are extremely informed on this topic, and 19% say they are very informed. Half say they are somewhat informed, and another 24% say they are a little (18%) or not at all (6%) informed.
NOT BASED ON EDUCATION
Approximately 22% to 25% of Chinese, Filipino, Indian, Korean, Vietnamese, and Japanese Americans consider themselves well informed about Asian history in the U.S. Furthermore, the level of knowledge does not significantly differ based on educational attainment, as Asian Americans with at least a bachelor’s degree are equally likely to be well-informed compared to those without a college degree.
While the internet and media are the primary sources of information for both groups, Asian Americans with at least a bachelor’s degree are slightly more likely to have learned from these sources.
Among Asian Americans with a college degree or more education, 84% have learned about U.S. Asian history from the internet, and 77% have acquired knowledge from the media. In comparison, smaller proportions of Asian Americans with less education (some college education or less) have utilized these sources, with 79% learning from the internet and 73% from the media.
On the other hand, Asian Americans with some college education or less are more likely than their counterparts with a college degree to have learned about U.S. Asian history from family and friends, as well as from K-12 schools
THE FACTOR OF CITIZENSHIP AND PLACE OF BIRTH
However, differences in knowledge emerge based on factors such as place of birth and citizenship. Asian Americans born in the U.S. are slightly more likely to be well informed about U.S. Asian history compared to those born in other countries. Among Asian American immigrants, naturalized U.S. citizens are approximately twice as likely as non-citizens to be well informed about this topic.
Regarding the sources of learning about U.S. Asian history, the survey found that Asian Americans primarily acquire knowledge through informal means. The internet (82%), media (75%), and family and friends (63%) are the most common sources. Formal education plays a lesser role, with only 37% reporting learning about U.S. Asian history in college or university, and 33% in K-12 schools.
WHERE ASIAN AMERICANS LEARN ABOUT U.S. ASIAN HISTORY?
The specific sources of learning vary among different Asian origin groups. Chinese and Filipino Americans are more likely to have learned about U.S. Asian history from the media. Vietnamese Americans tend to rely on the internet and information from family and friends. Indian Americans, in particular, have a lower likelihood of learning about U.S. Asian history through formal education, with only 22% indicating they received such education in elementary, middle, or high school.
