Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month celebrated at TMAC

By Stephanie CaffallMay 22, 2015

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2 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Dr. Eugene Mar, M.D., guest speaker at the Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month celebration, was presented a Buffalo Soldier statue by Sgt. Maj. Christopher Richardson, command career counselor, Network Enterprise Technology Command. Mar spoke at th... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
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Fort Huachuca, Arizona - Fort Huachuca hosted its Asian-Pacific American Heritage month celebration at Thunder Mountain Activity Centre May 14 promoting the theme "Many Cultures, One Voice: Promote Equality and Inclusion."

"Asian--Pacific Americans are everywhere and they are the faces of American history. Asians, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders who built America's farms, and laid its railroads contributed to American life and to our most cherished American values -- affirming what it means to be American citizens," said Sgt. Maj. Christopher Richardson, command career counselor, Network Enterprise Technology Command, in his opening remarks.

"This event is very important because our mainstream culture has a certain approach to our history and our view of this country and the people in it -- frankly, it is sometimes a little too narrow," said Robin Blackwood, the director of the history department at the Tucson Chinese Cultural Center.

"We need to include other voices as they're very much a part of our country, how it is developed and our culture and the future."

At the celebration, La 'U Samoa dancers performed traditional dances such as a "Cultural Embrace, a Haka," also known as "The Warrior's Dance."

Following the entertainment, guest speaker, Dr. Eugene Mar, M.D., gave a presentation and spoke at the event about his great grandfather, Sam Kee, who opened The Post Café in Fort Huachuca in 1882 which he operated until 1919.

According to Mar, his grandfather saved enough money after working on the railroads and in mines in Tombstone to start his own business. When Congress failed to pass budget legislation in time to pay them, Kee paid Soldiers on Fort Huachuca until the money reached the installation.

For his participation, Mar received a Buffalo Soldier statue at the conclusion of the Asian-Pacific American Heritage month celebration.

The Tucson Chinese Cultural Center sponsored Mar's presentation. According to Blackwood, she and the organization helped Mar dive further into his family's history, allowing Mar to confirm more about his family's rich cultural past.

Further information about Kee was revealed upon research, including Kee's resiliency to keep his café staffed by Chinese laborers. In the spring of 1882, the Chinese Exclusion Act was passed, an act which set a 10-year moratorium on Chinese labor immigration. A federal immigration inspector visited Kee often. However, his staff always remained Chinese.

Sierra Vista City Councilwoman Gwen Colhoun attended the heritage celebration and said, "It's wonderful to listen to a speaker who has this much attachment to Fort Huachuca."

She added, "Events like this raise our awareness of the history and it also helps people become familiar with the diverse populations and issues related to [the culture] … It increases our knowledge."