Asian Americans have played a pivotal role in the development of this country, yet when you flip through history books, the photos you tend to see of them are limited at best: sepia-colored pictures of Chinese laborers building railroads in the mid-1800s, or images that document the harsh, disquieting realities of Japanese Americans forced into internment camps during World War II.
But what about the happier, more domestic lives they lived? It’s rare to see photos of them carefree and just existing in the United States. (Let’s face it: When we conjure up images of the typical American family in, say, the 1950s, most of us immediately think of white Anglo-Saxon Protestants and families like the one depicted in “Leave It To Beaver.”)
Because representation matters, and because it’s Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, we asked our readers to share photos of their Asian American ancestors ― specifically, their parents and grandparents ― at rest and in love.
See what they had to share and say below.
Note: Submitted captions have been lightly edited for style and clarity.


I love how cool they look. Both are two of the most mom-and-dad people in the world. I couldn’t ever imagine either of them dressing to impress, and they look like Asian versions of a young Al Pacino and Diane Keaton here." — Paul Lee


Kenichi's parents were Matajiro and Mayo (Kodama) Shintaku, and they immigrated to Hawaii from Hiroshima. They were on Kauai at first, went back to Japan and returned to Hawaii — this time to Kau on the Big Island, where they settled. My grandfather was born in Hawaii in 1891. Kenichi was a veteran of World War I and is buried at the veteran's cemetery.
My grandmother grew up in Jigozen, in Hiroshima. She was orphaned at an early age and lived with relatives until she became a picture bride, arriving in Hawaii when she was 21. I still marvel at my grandmother's journey." — Michael Shintaku


The outfits are traditional Korean hanboks, and we were wearing them for some type of Korean holiday while going to church. What I like about this picture is how my parents were not afraid to show their Korean cultural pride. I can’t imagine wearing a hanbok walking through the Bronx even today. I can’t imagine what it would’ve been like 30 years ago. I also think about the person who took this photo and what they might have felt or thought.
I like this picture because this is a picture of America. The real America. This is my story. This is our story." — Chris Kwon


My dad was in the U.S. Navy and we were stationed in San Diego, California, when he got orders to be stationed in Cubi Point, Philippines. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1970 and later was commissioned as a naval officer. He honorably served for 30 years.
His decision to join the U.S. military granted my dad the opportunity to be a naturalized U.S. citizen and to attain the American dream. Sometimes I wonder what my life would have been like if he didn't make that decision to join. I am so proud of my dad for all his accomplishments and am thankful for it every day." — Karyn Cruz


My grandparents’ relationship was a true partnership built on the beliefs of the strength of family values and the virtue of hard work. Goong Goong returned to the University of Hawaii on the GI Bill, earned his degree in engineering and worked for the government. Popo provided support, caring for their five children in their multigenerational household. When all their children were of school age, Popo returned to the University of Hawaii to complete her college degree (her education was interrupted by World War II) with the full support and encouragement of Goong Goong. Later, Goong Goong established his engineering consulting firm. Popo and Goong Goong taught us the importance of family, education and hard work by their example." — Trevor Goo

The photo brings up mixed emotions: I see elegance and formality in these photos. They had modest lives. My grandfather was a gardener by profession. There is a level of care and specialness in dress and arrangement. Only a year later, they would lose everything. In 1942, by executive order, they were forcibly removed from their home near Los Angeles' Little Tokyo and taken to a temporary detention center at the Santa Anita racetracks. Later, they would be imprisoned at camps in Arkansas and Jerome. They were among the approximately 110,000 Japanese Americans who were considered a 'security threat' to the state during World War II. So the photo is a bit melancholy for me: It reflects their hopes and establishment in the U.S. that, in only a short time, were stripped away. Still, they went on to have full lives: They came back to Los Angeles after World War II, raised a family and both lived until their 80s." — Cathlin Goulding

They eloped because inter-caste marriage was looked down upon in those times: My mother is a Brahmin and my father was a farmer’s son. Theirs was the first love marriage in the village.
What I love the most about this picture is how happy and innocent they look. My mother was 22 and my father was 23. Running away from home was a new concept back then. They were walking into the unknown and took a leap of faith relying on one another." — Sid



What I personally love (and also mourn) the most about old photos like this is how it offers a glimpse of the past we'll never personally know. When my grandparents were alive, they were living relics. Now that both have passed, it's a fragment of a story that remains incomplete." — Ai Lan








I didn't see this photo until I was an adult, and I was so startled at how young and stylish my parents looked. I certainly didn't think of them as stylish when I was growing up! I love this photo because it reminds me that there was so much more to my parents' stories than just their roles as my parents." — Mary Choe