News and Events Blog « Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Program

Filipinos in America: From Colonial Subjects to Citizens

One Hundred Years of Filipino Presence in America

On National Tour 2008 – 2011

This exhibition captures the challenges and issues that confronted Filipinos following the annexation of the Philippines as a U.S. territory in 1898. Singgalot explores the Filipino experience initially as colonial subjects and nationals, and further examines their struggles to acquire full citizenship status as immigrants in this country throughout the last century.

The exhibit highlights the unique contributions of Filipinos in the development of Hawai‘i and West Coast agribusiness industries, seafood and cannery industries in Alaska, in the U.S. military, public service, in literature and arts, sports, and, more recently, as doctors and nurses in America’s health care industry. Through a hundred photo murals and images, the social history and the development of the Filipino community in the United States are vividly portrayed.

Dean Alegado, associate professor and chair of the Ethnic Studies Department at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa, curated this exhibition.

The exhibition was on display from May 18 to August 20, 2006 at the Smithsonian’s S. Dillion Ripley Center Concourse.

Singgalot is now available to travel through 2011. If you would like to host the exhibition in your area, please call the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES) at 202.633.3160 and ask for Minnie Micu or e-mail her at micum@si.edu. Click here for more information on hosting this exhibit.

This national tour was made possible through the generosity of Farmers Insurance Group.

For more information about the Filipino American Centennial Commemoration, visit www.filam.si.edu.