STOCKTON, Calif. — In a landmark moment for Filipino American history, Stockton’s rich legacy of labor, migration, and community-building will be showcased at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. The exhibit, titled “How Can You Forget Me: Filipino American Stories,” opens on November 20, 2025, at the National Museum of American History, marking the first major Smithsonian exhibition centered on Filipino Americans.
Curated by the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center, the exhibit draws heavily from Stockton’s Little Manila district, once home to the largest Filipino population outside the Philippines. It features over 50 artifacts, including three steamer trunks discovered in 2005 at the Daguhoy Lodge—a fraternal home for Filipino farmworkers. These trunks, preserved by the Legionarios del Trabajo, contain personal belongings such as ceremonial regalia, farm tools, photographs, letters, and embroidered pillowcases, offering intimate glimpses into the lives of early Filipino migrants.
“These trunks are time capsules,” said Sam Vong, curator of the exhibit. “They tell stories of resilience, sacrifice, and community that shaped the Filipino American experience in California and beyond.”…