Historical Marker Honoring Filipino Sailors in the United States Navy

By virtue of the authority vested by the Constitution of Virginia in the Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, there is hereby officially recognized:

WHEREAS, May is recognized as Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in the United States and in the Commonwealth of Virginia; and,

WHEREAS, students from Cherry Run Elementary School in Burke, Virginia and the adult English as a Second Language (ESL) program in Chesterfield, Virginia wrote the winning essays on the topic of “Important Contributions of Filipino Sailors in the U.S. Navy and to Virginia History”; and,

WHEREAS, Filipinos have served in the United States Navy continuously since the American Civil War and continued to enlist in the Navy after Philippine Independence in 1946 to the present day with communities of Filipinos flourishing near United States naval bases including one community near the nation’s largest naval base in Norfolk, Virginia; and,

WHEREAS, the Philippine Cultural Center of Virginia was built by the Council of United Filipino Organizations of Tidewater, Inc. to present cultural events and other civic, charitable, religious, scientific, and educational functions; and,

WHEREAS, the Filipino American National Historical Society of Hampton Roads is focused on preserving, documenting, and promoting Filipino American history; and,

WHEREAS, historical markers are used to celebrate and honor significant achievements in the Commonwealth, and Virginia celebrates the history and achievement of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders through historical markers; and,

WHEREAS, the Commonwealth of Virginia honors the contributions of Filipino sailors in the United States Navy with the historical marker unveiled, dedicated, and blessed on Saturday, May 28, 2022 at the Philippine Cultural Center of Virginia located at 4857 Baxter Road in Virginia Beach;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Glenn Youngkin, do hereby recognize May 28, 2022 as FILIPINO NAVY SAILOR DAY in the COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, and I call this observance to the attention of our citizens.

Governor of Virginia

Proclamations