Manila, Jan. 15 -- The Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) is reaching out to Philippine-based relatives of early Filipino migrants in the United States as it aims to preserve the legacy of the nation's pioneering diaspora.

In a news release Thursday, the CFO said the initiative supports the upcoming Smithsonian Institution's exhibition "How Can You Forget Me: Filipino American Stories," presented by the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center at the National Museum of American History.

CFO is particularly tracking down families of pioneering Filipino agricultural workers in California from the 1910s to the 1970s.

CFO Secretary Dante Ang II said the effort also supports Dr. James Sobredo, a professor emeritus from California State...