October 29, 2008 > Filipino American History Month Filipino American History Month By Dustin Findley Photos By Frank De Smidt Mayor Esteves proclaimed October 2008 as Filipino American History month in the City of Milpitas. Demetrio Nitafan, president of the Filipino American Association of Milpitas, accepted the proclamation at the October 21 City Council. The following is an excerpt from the proclamation that Mayor Esteves read at the meeting. Filipino American history month began in 1992, done in recognition of the contribution, culture and heritage that Filipino Americans brought to the United States from the Phillipines when they arrived in October of 1587. The first permanent Filipino settlement in North America was established in southern Louisiana in 1787, initiating a relationship with the United States that continues to represent a strong sense of family and community in the nation. According to the latest United States Census Bureau there are over 2.7 million Americans who identify their ancestry as full or partly Filipino. And so, in the City of Milpitas, we do recognize their presence as well. So, as mayor of the City of Milpitas, I do hereby recognize the contributions made by all members of our Filipino American community, and reflecting on the importance of cultural heritage and the continued impact of our ancestors in shaping us as a people.