The 1949 holiday issue: Nisei at mid-century

Vol. 29, No. 26, December 24, 1949. 60 pages. View this issue

Looking back at the first half of the century was the thread running through this 60-page holiday issue. Larry Tajiri’s editorial, “Nisei at Mid-Century,” traced Japanese American history from immigration through the war and forced removal, and Robert M. Cullum wrote in support of the Walter resolution and the Judd bill on naturalization. JACL National President Hito Okada reviewed the year’s work and set passage of the Walter resolution as the goal for 1950. Emi Kimura Fujii described the lives of aging Issei bachelors in Chicago, and Bill Hosokawa reported on Denver’s Nisei.

Elsewhere are pieces on Nisei veterans, employment discrimination, and life in Minneapolis, Louisiana, Nebraska and Champaign-Urbana, with fiction by Toshio Mori and Kats Hirooka and a front-page story on the aviator Masashi Goto. Chapter year-end reports came from Denver, Cleveland and the Twin Cities. Holiday greetings from JACL chapters and businesses filled 48 of the 60 pages.

What’s in this issue

Military & Veterans

• The Death of a Hero, by Larry Tajiri, page 1. Tajiri recounts the 1929 flight of Issei aviator Masashi Goto, who crashed in Utah’s mountains on a planned round-the-world trip. He also describes the desecration and neglect of the memorial erected at the crash site.
• There Are Many Ways, by Yori Wada, page 21. Wada examines the Nisei veteran in San Francisco, focusing on the all-Nisei American Legion post and the Nisei Vets organization. He discusses the reasons for segregated posts, the low participation of Nisei veterans in regular posts, and the need for greater engagement.

Commentary

• Nisei at Mid-Century, by Larry Tajiri, page 2. The editorial reflects on the history of Japanese Americans from immigration through the war and evacuation, noting postwar settlement, restitution, and prospects for naturalization rights. It concludes that the Nisei generation can look toward the coming years with hope.
• No One Stands Alone, by Robert M. Cullum, page 2. Cullum, former secretary of the Committee for Equality in Naturalization, credits the broad support for naturalization equality to responsibility, character, and belief in American ideals. He argues that reason and goodwill will ultimately prevail over prejudice and that passage of the Walter resolution and Judd bill is essential.
• In My Father’s Japan, by Mitsu Yasuda, page 4. Yasuda recounts Nisei experiences as occupation personnel in postwar Japan, including encounters with destitute citizens, former officials, and relatives. The memoir conveys the devastation of the country and the emotional impact on the author, who concludes that the Japanese desire to rebuild is genuine.
• Sansei Rising, by Iwao Kawakami, page 20. A poetic piece tracing the Nisei generation through the Depression, the war, the camps, and postwar life, interleaving popular songs and historical events. It evokes the passage from youth to adulthood across these years.
• The Remembered Days, by Toshio Mori, page 25. Mori presents a reflective narrative about a grandmother’s memories of Tanforan and Topaz camps, the family’s departure, and the loss of a son in combat. The piece conveys her enduring resilience and grief.
• Any Openings Today?, by I. H. Gordon, page 26. Gordon examines employment discrimination against Nisei across the United States, citing union practices, employer preferences, and surveys from Denver and Seattle. He concludes that racial barriers limit Nisei economic advancement and calls for national action against employment discrimination.
• Democracy in Action, by Ben Kuroki, page 27. Kuroki profiles Nisei residents of North Platte, Nebraska, who run businesses and professional practices with little racial discrimination. He credits local tolerance and personal reputations for the harmony and presents the town as an example of democracy.

In-Depth

• The Years in Shadow, by Emi Kimura Fujii, page 3. Fujii examines the lives of aging, often isolated Issei bachelors in Chicago, describing their housing, work, dependence on public assistance, and lack of recreation. She argues they need social programs and a home for the aged, and that they risk being left behind by both the Japanese and wider communities.
• The Keeper of the Trees, page 13. A profile of Chiyokichi Takahashi, an Issei who cultivates dwarf trees in Berkeley as a hobby that became a modest business. The article describes his techniques and the miniature forest he maintained through the war years.
• Melting Pot at Slow Boil, by Tom Okada, page 17. The article examines the uneasy coexistence of Japanese American and Negro residents in San Francisco’s Fillmore district after the war. It attributes tensions to economic, cultural, and historical differences and argues that shared community needs offer the best basis for understanding.
• The Koharas of Louisiana, by Roku Sugahara, page 18. The story follows the Kohara family, the only Japanese family in central Louisiana, who ran a photography studio in Alexandria. It describes their hardships during the Depression and war, when the store served trainees and military customers, and their children’s successes.

JACL

• JACL, A Collective Voice, by Masao Satow, page 3. Satow argues that Japanese Americans must actively organize politically through the JACL to protect their rights, since prewar passivity left them vulnerable. He urges continued work on legislation, public relations, and community services.
• Year-End Summary, by Hito Okada, page 24. JACL National President Okada reviews the organization’s 1949 accomplishments, including district conventions, chapter growth, and public relations work. He thanks members and supporters and sets the goal of passing the Walter resolution in 1950.

National

• The Nisei Come of Age, by Bill Hosokawa, page 9. Hosokawa reports on the adjustment of Denver’s Nisei, now largely adults, finding few instances of discrimination and a relatively low rate of juvenile delinquency and divorce. He notes generational tensions, in-law conflicts, and the need for greater social responsibility among young Nisei.

Arts & Entertainment

• Summer Afternoon, by Kats Hirooka, page 10. A short fiction piece depicts a young couple on a beach and an older woman watching them with disapproval. The story closes with the woman’s judgment of the younger generation’s lack of shame.
• Nisei and the Films, by Teru Shimada, page 19. The article surveys the careers of Nisei and Issei actors in Hollywood, from silent-era stars to wartime limitations and postwar opportunities. It profiles Teru Shimada’s wartime camp theater work and his return to acting.

Community

• $18,000 Gift, by Peter Ohtaki, page 11. Ohtaki describes how Minneapolis’s Nisei community received a 14-room house from the Episcopal diocese to serve as a community center. Volunteers renovated the building, and an elected steering committee now governs its programs and activities.
• Twin Cities UCL Shows Increasing Civic Activity, page 11. The Twin Cities chapter reports its indoor and outdoor programs, guest speakers, and civic work including evacuation claims services and cooperation with local groups. It states that the chapter is growing into a stronger community organization.
• The Problem of Cliques, by Elmer Smith, page 12. Smith discusses how Nisei college students, excluded from fraternities and sororities, form their own groups that often become divided by rival cliques. He offers suggestions for building inclusive organizations that serve all interest groups.
• Race Relations on Ellis Avenue, page 28. The article describes the Ellis Community Center in Chicago, a church-sponsored interracial center serving Nisei and neighborhood families. It outlines its programs for children, adults, and religious activities and its growth from modest beginnings.
• Visit to Champaign-Urbana, by John Nakamura, page 29. Nakamura describes the college town of Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, and the integration of Nisei students into campus life. He profiles Nisei faculty members, including landscape architect Hideo Sasaki, whose students won design awards.
• Denver Story Monthly Summary, page 34. A monthly summary of Denver JACL chapter activities in 1949, including membership drives, fundraising, memorial services, and the Mountain Plains district convention. It lists officers and events through December.
• Cleveland Chapter Year in Review, by Grace Andow, page 44. The article reviews the Cleveland JACL chapter’s 1949 year, including its membership drive, evacuation claims assistance, social events, and the midwest district council convention. It highlights members’ enthusiasm and cooperation.

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