This Day in History: 2017-11-10
November 6, 2012 – “Mazie Hirono Elected to U.S. Senate”
Mazie Hirono became the first Asian American woman elected to the U.S. Senate on November 6, 2012. She is also the first elected woman Senator from Hawaii, the first U.S. Senator born in Japan and the nation’s first Buddhist Senator. Prior to getting elected to the U.S. Senate, Hirono served as the congresswoman from Hawaii’s 2nd congressional district from 2007 to 2013. She has served on the Senate Committee on Armed Services, Committee on Environment and Public Works and Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.
April 12, 1847 - "First Asians Arrive in the United States" - A group of three Chinese students arrived in New York City and became the first Asians to officially enter the United States.
However, Chinese records show that Chinese Buddhist priests
traveled along the West Coast and present-day British Columbia
down to Baja California in 450 A.D. Also, Spanish records show the
existence of Chinese shipbuilders in present-day Southern California
between 1541 and 1746 and Chinese shopkeepers were already in
present-day Los Angeles when the first Anglo Americans arrived.
Though conventionally thought to have played a pivotal role in
American history only from the 19th century forward, Asians have
been in what's now considered the U.S. longer than Europeans."