Dr. Joy Cherian is the first Asian American

Asian American

Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...

 and first Indian American

Indian American

Indian Americans are Americans whose ancestral roots lie in India. The U.S. Census Bureau popularized the term Asian Indian to avoid confusion with Indigenous peoples of the Americas who are commonly referred to as American Indians.-The term: Indian:...

 Commissioner at the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). He was appointed by President Ronald Reagan in 1987 in what was seen as a milestone. At the time he was the highest ranking Indian American in the US government. Appointed by a Republican, but showing true unity of Indian Americans across political boundaries, the Indo-American Democratic Organization lobbied for his re-appointment in 1991. After serving his time as commissioner he founded and was President of a consulting firm, J. Cherian Consultants, Inc. (JCC) and did speaking engagements for organizations such as the GOPIO.

Background

Mr. Cherian graduated from the University of Kerala, Kerala State, India (B.A., 1963; bachelor of law, 1965); Catholic University of America (M.A., 1970; Ph.D., 1974); and George Washington University (M.C.L., 1978). He was born May 18, 1942, in Kerala State, India. He finished his matriculation from Sacred Heart High School, Thevara. He was noted for his dilligence and exemplary academic performance even from his high school days. Mr. Cherian is married, has two children, and resides in Wheaton, MD.