Highlights
The Chinese Exclusion Act
Silk Screen
Since launching the groundbreaking Asian American anthology series Silk Screen (1982-1987) on PBS, CAAM has continued to bring works to millions of viewers nationwide. CAAM is a member of the National Multicultural Alliance (formerly the National Minority Consortia), designated by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to provide diverse programming to PBS. The defunding of CPB in 2025 does not interrupt our commitment to make these projects available to the American public. Read more here.
CAAM is widely recognized for its artistic and programmatic excellence. Films supported by CAAM include Who Killed Vincent Chin? (1989) by Christine Choy and Renee Tajima Pena (Oscar nominee), Days of Waiting (1988) by Steven Okazaki (Oscar winner), Maya Lin: A Strong Clear Vision (1994) by Freida Lee Mock (Oscar winner), a.k.a. Don Bonus (1995) by Spencer Nakasako and Sokly Ny (Emmy winner), Jake Shimabukuro: Life on Four Strings (2013) by Tadashi Nakamura (Gotham Audience Award winner) and American Revolutionary: The Evolution of Grace Lee Boggs (2014) by Grace Lee (Peabody Award). These and other CAAM supported films have formed the canon of Asian American studies programs and virtually defined the development and evolution of a distinctive Asian American voice in the media for over three generations.
CAAM's Public Media Work in Numbers
500 Films supported through public funding
$14M Received from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting
400 Films and programs broadcast or streamed on PBS