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PROMINENT ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICANS
Dr.
David Da-I Ho, AIDS research pioneer
(born November 3, 1952)
Dr. David Ho has been a leader in the field of HIV/AIDS research for
over a decade. The impact of his work on the viral dynamics of HIV
changed the way HIV/AIDS is investigated and treated, and earned him
Time Magazine's "Man of the Year" award in 1996.
In the early days of research, it was assumed that the HIV virus remained
dormant for ten years before the outbreak of AIDS. Dr. Ho's work revealed
that HIV is highly active from the moment of infection, replicating
and mutating continuously. This discovery led to the replacement of
single drug therapies with protease inhibitor and antiviral "cocktails."
Born in Taiwan, he moved to Los Angeles, California, at the age of
thirteen. In 1974, he graduated from the California Institute of Technology
with a B.S. summa cum laude in physics. Switching to medical
research, he earned his M.D. at Harvard Medical School in 1978. Dr.
Ho currently serves as the scientific director and chief executive
officer of the Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center, the largest private
HIV/AIDS research center in the world. |
Maya
Lin, artist
(born October 10, 1959)
Maya Lin is best known for designing the most visited public artwork
of the 20th century, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington,
D.C.
Born in Athens, Ohio, to Chinese immigrants, her father was the dean
of Ohio University's fine arts department, and her mother was a professor
of literature. In 1981, during her senior year at Yale University,
the selection committee for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial chose Lin's
design from over 1,400 submissions.
Her other works include The
Civil Rights Memorial at the Southern Poverty Law Center in Montgomery,
Alabama (1989), The
Wave Field at the University of Michigan (1993-94), and the Langston
Hughes Library in Clinton, Tennessee (1999). She has been honored
with the Presidential Design Award, The American Institute of Architects
Honor Award, the Henry Bacon Memorial Award; and Honorary Doctorates
in Fine Arts from Harvard, Yale, Brown, Smith, and Williams. |
Yo-Yo
Ma , cellist
(born in 1955)
An internationally acclaimed composer and musician, Yo-Yo Ma has spent
a lifetime expanding the cello repertoire and using music to educate
and promote cultural diversity.
Of Chinese descent, Ma was born in Paris, France. He gave his first
public concert at the age of five, and played at Carnegie Hall at
the age of seven. Ma's multi-faceted career includes 14 Grammy Awards,
recorded works from Johann Sebastian Bach to Cole Porter, and collaborations with Itzhak
Perlman and Bobby McFerrin.
With his Silk Road Project, Ma is promoting the cross-cultural exchange
of music from countries such as Armenia, China, Greece, India, Italy,
and Persia. The Project includes music festivals, travelling exhibits,
and a comprehensive public education program that provides teacher's
guides, lesson plans, and other learning materials for schools. |
 Patsy Takemoto Mink , U.S. Congresswoman
(1928 - 2002)
Patsy Mink was the first Asian American woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. She introduced the first comprehensive Early Childhood Education Act and co-authored the landmark legislation that prohibits gender discrimination in federally funded schools.
Born on the island of Maui, her grandparents emigrated from Japan in the late 1800s. In her junior year of high school, she became the first girl elected student body president, and graduated class valedictorian. In 1951, Ms. Mink obtained her Doctor of Jurisprudence from the University of Chicago, and became the first Asian American woman to practice law in the state of Hawaii.
In 1964, Ms. Mink was elected to her first term in the U.S. House of Representatives. She served from 1964 to 1976, and again from 1982 to 2002. Ms. Mink co-authored Title IX legislation, which required equal support for women and men in academics and athletics at any institution receiving federal money.
On September 28, 2002, Congresswoman Mink passed away at the age of 74.
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 Spark
Matsunaga, U.S. Senator
(1916 - 1990)
Spark Matsunaga was one of the 1,500 Japanese American volunteers
who formed the 100th Infantry Battalion during World War II. The recipient
of two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star, he went on to make great contributions
in the U.S. Senate, where he fought for the redress of Japanese-Americans
unjustly interned during World War II.
Born Masayuki Matsunaga on the island of Kauai, he was on active duty
in the U.S. Army when Pearl Harbor was attacked. Along with other
Japanese Americans serving in the military, he was relieved of duty
and shipped to Camp McCoy, Wisconsin. They successfully petitioned
President Roosevelt for the chance to prove their loyalty, and the
100th Infantry Battalion was formed.
In 1976, Mr. Matsunaga was elected to the U.S. Senate, where he sponsored
legislation that established the U.S. Peace Institute. A major proponent
for the use of renewable energy, he authored the Spark Matsunaga Hydrogen
Research and Development Act, which provided funding for research
into alternative energy. Senator Matsunaga died in office in 1990.
His last official act was voting in support of reauthorizing the Clean
Air Act. |
I.M.
Pei, architect
(born in 1917)
I.M. Pei first achieved national attention in 1964, when he was chosen
to design the John F. Kennedy Library in Boston, Massachusetts. Since
then, he has created some of the most distinguished buildings and
public spaces of the 20th century.
Born Ieoh Ming Pei in Canton, China, he arrived in the United States
in 1935, to study architecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
He continued his education at Harvard's Graduate School of Design,
where he received his M.Arch. in 1946. Pei's "first major architectural
challenge" was the East
Wing of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. It was
selected as one of the 10 Best Buildings in America by the College
of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects. His other designs
include the Pyramide
du Louvre in Paris, the Bank
of China Tower, and the Rock
and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio.
Some of Pei's numerous awards and honors include the Pritzker Prize
(the architectural equivalent of the Nobel Prize), the Gold Medal
of the American Institute of Architects, and the Presidential Medal
of Freedom.
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Tiger
Woods, golfer
(born December 30, 1975)
At the age of 26, Tiger Woods is the youngest golfer in history to
win seven major Professional Golfers' Association titles. Through
his charitable organization, The Tiger Woods Foundation, he has raised
over $2 million for community-based children's organizations.
Born Eldrick T. Woods, his mother, Kutilda, a native of Thailand,
and his father, retired U.S. Army lieutenant Earl Woods, recognized
his talents early. By the age of 20, he was the first golfer in history
to win three consecutive U.S. Amateur titles, and was voted Sports
Illustrated's 1996 Sportsman of the Year. He turned professional
that same year.
Recognized for its work on behalf of disadvantaged children, the Tiger
Woods Foundation has contributed to over 100 community programs throughout
the United States, including the Orlando Minority Youth Golf Association,
Chicago Public Schools, and The National Minority Junior Golf Scholarship
Association. |
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Historical Timeline
Dr.
David Ho, AIDS researcher
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