Fred Cordova, far left, was at the center of the Seattle Filipino American community for decades. Wi
Fred Cordova, far left, was at the center of the Seattle Filipino American community for decades. With his wife, Dorothy, he collected oral histories and was the founding president of the Filipino American National Historical Society.“The Cordovas were the ones who uncovered the information that Filipinos were in the continental United States as early as the 1500s,” said Dr. DeCano. “They had been able to look at the experiences of Filipino Americans and weave them into the fabric, development, and growth of this country in every aspect — from construction, business, and politics to education, the military, to agriculture. They’ve uncovered troves of historical materials. Filipinos in different parts of the country had different kinds of experiences, and the Cordovas had strong interpersonal skills to motivate people to say, ‘OK, I’ll sit and talk to you.’ They understood that even though some people were reticent, their stories were important. These skills allowed them to get those oral histories, the foundation of much of their research.”We lost a great leader, historian, mentor, and advocate. Rest in power, Fred. More about Fred in the Northwest Asian Weekly. -- source link
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