| Marina E. Espina New Orleans, Louisiana Foremost Filipino-American Scholar, Author and Historian |
Through indefatigable determination and extensive research of
Marina Espina , she had uncovered the fact that Filipinos were the
first Asians to settle permanently in the United States, since
Mid-18th century. She uncovered the fact that Filipinos
permanently settled in Louisiana in 1793. Previous to this
knowledge, Filipinos were thought of as having settled in the West
Coast in 1903, or in Hawaii in 1906.
As a scholar, Marina Espina is the nation's leading scholar on the
subject of Filipinos in America from the mid-18th to early 19th
centuries and has had her findings presented to both the
academic and civic communities, thus preserving this most
unique history of a unique people and period. Her pioneering oral
history research techniques have resulted in her appointment as
the Director of the Oral History Center at the University of New
Orleans.
Marina has been at the forefront of advancing Asian and Pacific
American Educational concerns for almost two decades as both a
scholar and community activist, epitomizing the NAAPAE ideal of
the marriage between scholarship and community service.
Marina Espina , she had uncovered the fact that Filipinos were the
first Asians to settle permanently in the United States, since
Mid-18th century. She uncovered the fact that Filipinos
permanently settled in Louisiana in 1793. Previous to this
knowledge, Filipinos were thought of as having settled in the West
Coast in 1903, or in Hawaii in 1906.
As a scholar, Marina Espina is the nation's leading scholar on the
subject of Filipinos in America from the mid-18th to early 19th
centuries and has had her findings presented to both the
academic and civic communities, thus preserving this most
unique history of a unique people and period. Her pioneering oral
history research techniques have resulted in her appointment as
the Director of the Oral History Center at the University of New
Orleans.
Marina has been at the forefront of advancing Asian and Pacific
American Educational concerns for almost two decades as both a
scholar and community activist, epitomizing the NAAPAE ideal of
the marriage between scholarship and community service.
As a community activist, Marina Espina has been a leader within the Asian/Pacific American community of
New Orleans since 1970 founding the "Committee for Asian Pacific American Heritage" and serving on
various other communities of oriented committees.
Also in 1983 she was elected president of the "Filipino-American Goodwill Society" of New Orleans, the first
woman to hold the office in the group's 36 year history, and was also the recipient of the group's "Woman of
the Year Award" in 1982.
Her leadership, dedication and enthusiasm in such civic affairs have earned her Certificates of Merit and
Appreciation from the Mayor of New Orleans as well as the distinction of being one of that city's "People To
Watch In 1983."
At the national level, Marina was among the founders of NAAPE in 1977 and has contributed greatly to this
organization's efforts to advance Asian/Pacific American education concerns nationally by serving as a
member of the Executive Board, the chair of the first Distinguished Service Award Committee and also
Co-chaired the NAAPAE's 1984 conference in New Orleans.
Marina's international reputation in scholarship and her dedicated service to the Asian and Pacific American
communities represents the blend of academic excellence and community service which NAAPAE seeks to
promote.
Marina E. Espina, a Fulbright scholar to the Philippines in 1983, was a recipient of another Fulbright grant.
This second grant brought her to the People's Republic of China for 42 days. She was one of 12 educators
from Metropolitan New Orleans area who had a chance to visit the world's most populated nation. The only
Asian American in the group, she has for more than a decade been in the forefront of advancing Asian
American education in New Orleans.
Both in the U.S. and the Philippines, Marina is well known for her research on the 18th century Filipino
migrating to Louisiana. She gained recognition when in the source of her research work, she uncovered the
fact the Filipinos settled in Louisiana in 1765. This discovery made her a most sought-after lecturer/speaker
at various conferences, conventions, and seminars in the U.S. and the Philippines.
In the congressional record dated July 6, 1988, the House of Representatives resolved the celebration of the
225th anniversary of the Filipino American's presence in the United States. However, the congress
recognized that the Philippine-United States connection was not popularized until Marina Espina's scholarly
research on the descendants of those Spanish-speaking Filipino seamen in New Orleans commonly known
as "Manilamen" and Filipino Cajuns. Her research remarkably substantiate and documented the Filipino
presence in Early American history which significantly extends the time-line of Filipino American history well
beyond its previous recognized post- World War I starting point.
In 1989, the Asian/Pacific American Society of Greater New Orleans in its 11th anniversary has given its
founder, Marina E. Espina (Philippines) special recognition for her leadership and guidance through the years.
Marina's book," Filipinos in Louisiana", New Orleans, A.F. Larborde and Sons,1988 is a landmark publication.
It had wide circulation and acclamation not only from Filipino-Americans but also from our American
counterparts in this continent. This book on a group of Filipinos who settled in Louisiana 226 years ago is a
classic case study that documented a continuous struggle for a "rightful place" in the history of the United
States. Marina claims that the most important reward she accomplished in writing her book is to discover that
Filipinos were daring and adventurous, unafraid of foreign lands and strange-sounding tongues. Marina will
always be remembered by the Filipinos and Americans as well as the one who blazed to uncover the history
of Filipinos in Louisiana.
Marina Espina is truly a pride of the Filipinos and she duly deserve to be recognized and be honored as one
of the outstanding Filipinos in America. Her scholar achievements and dynamic leadership has contributed
immensely to uplift the positive image of the Filipino-Americans in the United States.
Marina is married to Cipriano Espina, Jr., chief engineer of the City of New Orleans; a scholar in his own right,
and the first Filipino to hold a high position in New Orleans. They have four children: Emmanuel, Rose,
Salvador and Lourdes.#
New Orleans since 1970 founding the "Committee for Asian Pacific American Heritage" and serving on
various other communities of oriented committees.
Also in 1983 she was elected president of the "Filipino-American Goodwill Society" of New Orleans, the first
woman to hold the office in the group's 36 year history, and was also the recipient of the group's "Woman of
the Year Award" in 1982.
Her leadership, dedication and enthusiasm in such civic affairs have earned her Certificates of Merit and
Appreciation from the Mayor of New Orleans as well as the distinction of being one of that city's "People To
Watch In 1983."
At the national level, Marina was among the founders of NAAPE in 1977 and has contributed greatly to this
organization's efforts to advance Asian/Pacific American education concerns nationally by serving as a
member of the Executive Board, the chair of the first Distinguished Service Award Committee and also
Co-chaired the NAAPAE's 1984 conference in New Orleans.
Marina's international reputation in scholarship and her dedicated service to the Asian and Pacific American
communities represents the blend of academic excellence and community service which NAAPAE seeks to
promote.
Marina E. Espina, a Fulbright scholar to the Philippines in 1983, was a recipient of another Fulbright grant.
This second grant brought her to the People's Republic of China for 42 days. She was one of 12 educators
from Metropolitan New Orleans area who had a chance to visit the world's most populated nation. The only
Asian American in the group, she has for more than a decade been in the forefront of advancing Asian
American education in New Orleans.
Both in the U.S. and the Philippines, Marina is well known for her research on the 18th century Filipino
migrating to Louisiana. She gained recognition when in the source of her research work, she uncovered the
fact the Filipinos settled in Louisiana in 1765. This discovery made her a most sought-after lecturer/speaker
at various conferences, conventions, and seminars in the U.S. and the Philippines.
In the congressional record dated July 6, 1988, the House of Representatives resolved the celebration of the
225th anniversary of the Filipino American's presence in the United States. However, the congress
recognized that the Philippine-United States connection was not popularized until Marina Espina's scholarly
research on the descendants of those Spanish-speaking Filipino seamen in New Orleans commonly known
as "Manilamen" and Filipino Cajuns. Her research remarkably substantiate and documented the Filipino
presence in Early American history which significantly extends the time-line of Filipino American history well
beyond its previous recognized post- World War I starting point.
In 1989, the Asian/Pacific American Society of Greater New Orleans in its 11th anniversary has given its
founder, Marina E. Espina (Philippines) special recognition for her leadership and guidance through the years.
Marina's book," Filipinos in Louisiana", New Orleans, A.F. Larborde and Sons,1988 is a landmark publication.
It had wide circulation and acclamation not only from Filipino-Americans but also from our American
counterparts in this continent. This book on a group of Filipinos who settled in Louisiana 226 years ago is a
classic case study that documented a continuous struggle for a "rightful place" in the history of the United
States. Marina claims that the most important reward she accomplished in writing her book is to discover that
Filipinos were daring and adventurous, unafraid of foreign lands and strange-sounding tongues. Marina will
always be remembered by the Filipinos and Americans as well as the one who blazed to uncover the history
of Filipinos in Louisiana.
Marina Espina is truly a pride of the Filipinos and she duly deserve to be recognized and be honored as one
of the outstanding Filipinos in America. Her scholar achievements and dynamic leadership has contributed
immensely to uplift the positive image of the Filipino-Americans in the United States.
Marina is married to Cipriano Espina, Jr., chief engineer of the City of New Orleans; a scholar in his own right,
and the first Filipino to hold a high position in New Orleans. They have four children: Emmanuel, Rose,
Salvador and Lourdes.#
Washington D.C. Since 1987
Washington D.C. Since 1987
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