✍️미주 한인 이민사에서 있어서 기억해야 중요한 날이 있습니다. 바로 1903년 1월 13일 한인 이민 선구자 102명이 하와이에 첫 발을 디딘 날입니다.
한국 인천 내리감리교회 교인들이 주축을 이룬 첫 이민단 102명 호놀룰루에 1902년 12월 22일 입항, 이듬해인 1903년 1월 13일 하와이에 첫 발을 내디딘 것입니다.
그 후 102년이 되는 지난 2005년 12월 미 연방 하원과 상원에서 매년 1월 13일을 ‘미주 한인의 날‘로 합법화하게 됩니다. 한인 이민자들이 지난 1세기에 동안에 미국의 270개 소수민족 가운데 유일하게 미주 한인들이 자체 기념일을 갖게 된 것을 뜻깊은 일입니다.
✍️What is National Korean American Day?
Any American who has tried kimchi for the first time as an adult probably won’t forget the experience. There is so much more to Korean culture though. National Korean American Day honors Americans with full or partial Korean descent and celebrates the arrival of Korea’s first immigrants to the States.
The Korean War initiated a lot of Korean immigration to the U.S. The American-backed South Korea fought against North Korea, which the Soviet Union supported. This partnership between South Korea and the U.S. resulted in cultural exchange and migrations. Then, the Korean-American population exploded after the Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1965 allowed more Asians to migrate to the states.
In truth, the kimchi gets better as your palate adjusts to the fermented and pickled foods typical in Korean fare. So whether it’s the land of your ancestry or your friends’ native soil, celebrate Korea on National Korean American Day
Fun facts about National Korean American Day!
The first Korean immigrants arrived in the U.S. January 13, 1903, landing in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Linguists cannot find similarities between the Korean language and any other language on the planet, though it does borrow many words from Chinese.
There were about 1 million Korean immigrants in the U.S. in 2015.
Kimchi is a probiotic, like kombucha and kefir, because it promotes good digestive bacteria in your gut.
How to celebrate National Korean American Day:
Share your family’s immigration experience with your friends or on social media. If you don’t know much about it, ask your parents and grandparents.
Ask your Korean-American friends how they connect with their Korean heritage.
Enjoy a Korean meal and a bottle of soju with your friends. Bulgogi is a great gateway into Korean food.
