Stream now with KPBS+ / Watch Thursday, May 7, 2026 at 9 p.m. on KPBS TV
To celebrate Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month in May, host Elsa Sevilla, looks into San Diego's history as Chinese and Japanese immigrants arrived in San Diego during the 1880s. Some came to work on the Transcontinental Railroad, the farming fields, fishing and other labor jobs.
At the turn of the 20th Century, Filipino students came to San Diego State University under an education program. Join us for detailed accounts on how San Diego's Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Filipino immigrants moved to the region.
Watch On Your Schedule: SAN DIEGO'S HISTORIC PLACES "San Diego's Asian-American History" is available to stream with KPBS+, a new free streaming video app designed for ease and enjoyment everywhere you watch including Roku, smart TVs and mobile devices. It’s locally curated for San Diego by the KPBS programming team. With a clean and intuitive design, discovering and enjoying KPBS and PBS content on-demand has never been easier.
You can also tune in live to watch our four TV channels in real time: KPBS, KPBS 2, Create, KPBS Kids 24/7. We also added a new channel - FNX (First Nation Experience). Your KPBS Passport member benefit works on KPBS+ too! You’ll have access to even more great shows when you simply log in with your KPBS Passport account.
About The Series: SAN DIEGO'S HISTORIC PLACES is an Emmy-nominated and award-winning documentary series hosted by journalist, Elsa Sevilla. The series explores and details local history dating back to the 16th century and focuses on the various people living in the region. Each episode connects viewers to the area's past as Elsa visits historic sites, archives, museums, cemeteries and parks.
