Vol. 45, No. 10, September 6, 1957. 8 pages. View this issue
Frank Chuman’s By the Board column opened this issue with a worry: only about 37% of JACL members subscribed to the Pacific Citizen, so most did not know what the organization was doing. He urged mailing the paper to every member. Elsewhere on the front page, Harry Honda reported that over 400 delegates attended the joint Eastern and Midwest District Council convention in Chicago, where Dr. Roy Nishikawa said JACL’s greatest work still lay ahead. Congress also gave final approval to the family hardship immigration bill.
Inside are a report on the new civil rights measure, Bill Hosokawa’s column from a sickbed, and Larry S. Tajiri on a possible film about the wartime forced removal. Pages 4 and 5 cover chapter news: sapphire pin awards, a convention fashion show, new district officers, and plans for fall conventions in Omaha and Fresno. The eight pages also carry a survey of Nisei personality and a farewell for a Salt Lake City YWCA leader.
What’s in this issue
JACL
- Closer Knit Organization Through Pacific Citizen, by Frank Chuman, page 1. The By the Board column argues that only about 37% of JACL members subscribe to the Pacific Citizen, leaving most uninformed about the organization’s work. It urges mailing the PC to all members, noting the paper is now operating in the black and would strengthen chapter cohesion.
- 400 Delegates Attend EDC-MDC Chicago Confab, by Harry Honda, page 1. Over 400 delegates attended the joint Eastern and Midwest District Council convention in Chicago, where Dr. Clarence Pickett delivered the keynote on ‘New Perspectives.’ The convention drew strong attendance despite being a three-day holiday event.
- JACL’s Role Still Lies Ahead, Dr. Nishikawa Tells EDC-MDC Confab, page 1. National JACL President Dr. Roy Nishikawa told the EDC-MDC convention that JACL’s greatest work is still ahead and that continuing public relations remains essential. He also honored the Olivet Institute for its assistance to Japanese Americans resettling after evacuation.
- Active CLer a Step Forward, by Harry Hayashi, page 4. Harry Hayashi notes that while legislative goals have been cleared, St. Louis JACL has reached a record membership of 132 and is celebrating its tenth year. He argues Nisei should identify more with community projects to sustain the national organization.
- ‘What Is Typical Nisei Like?’ Survey Started in Intermountain Area Nears End, page 4. Steve Abe is conducting a questionnaire survey of Nisei personality for his doctoral thesis, seeking about 200 respondents. A mass questionnaire meeting will be held by Southwest Los Angeles JACL on September 11.
- Midwest, Eastern District Councils Elect New Cabinet Members, page 5. New officers were elected and installed for both the Eastern and Midwest District Councils at the Chicago convention. Dr. Roy Nishikawa presided over the installation at the main banquet.
Community
- Pocatello Clerk to Teach Pharmacy at Stockton’s College of Pacific, page 1. Mrs. Shizuko Kihara, formerly of Idaho State College, will serve as administrative assistant to the dean of the College of Pacific pharmacy school while pursuing her doctorate. She was honored with a community send-off in Blackfoot, Idaho.
- Scholarship Winner, page 2. Guadalupe Ramirez was named the 1957 Fowler JACL scholarship winner, becoming the second American of Mexican ancestry to receive the award. The scholarship goes to the most deserving Fowler High School student regardless of race or creed.
- Future Course of JACL Mooted at EDC-MDC Forum, page 3. Speakers Dr. T.T. Yatabe, Mike Masaoka, and Dr. Kermit Eby discussed JACL’s future at a Chicago convention forum. Issues raised included textile discrimination, the Girard case, and whether Nisei should maintain their cultural heritage.
- Glamorous Touch of EDC-MDC Convention Draws Attention to Fashion Show, page 4. A fashion show of designs by Reiko Kutsuki and Nisei designers added a glamorous element to the Chicago EDC-MDC convention. Mostly Sansei models showcased the designs.
- CCDC Fashion Show Group Sets Theme, page 4. Central California JACL Auxiliaries planned an Oriental Interlude fashion show for the December 8 CCDC convention in Fresno. The show will feature Nisei designers, holiday fashions, flower arrangements, and kimono.
- Twin Cities Chapter President Misses Staff Meeting, Can’t Kill Own Personal Sketch, page 5. Henry Makino, president of the Twin Cities JACL, was featured as a back-page personality in the J.A. Journal after missing a staff meeting. His background includes chemistry training, JACL service, and amateur acting.
- Omaha Chapter to Host Mountain-Plains District Convention, page 5. The Omaha JACL chapter is preparing to host the Mountain-Plains District Council convention on November 29-30 at the Sheraton Fontenelle Hotel. Highlights will include a tour of Boys Town and the Omaha stockyards.
- Eden Township Family Barbecue Outing, page 5. The Eden Township JACL held its annual fall barbecue as a family event at Hayward Memorial Park. The committee was led by Rose Kurotori, Maya Yoshida, and Alyce Fujii.
National
- Congress Approves Family Hardship Immigration Bill, page 1. Congress gave final approval to the family hardship immigration bill, S. 2792, which aims to reunite separated families and allow adopted orphans to enter the U.S. Mike Masaoka praised the bill as the most significant measure for persons of Japanese ancestry in years.
- Congress in Historic Passage of Civil Rights Measure, page 2. The 85th Congress passed a civil rights bill focused on voting rights, the first such legislation since Reconstruction. JACL, while wanting a stronger bill, endorsed it as a definite step forward.
Commentary
- From the Frying Pan: Reflections From a Sickbed, by Bill Hosokawa, page 2. Bill Hosokawa reflects on being sick in bed, remarking on night noises, the value of radio over television, and a memory of finding watermelon for his dying mother-in-law during the war. He recalls the kindness of neighbors who helped them.
- Vagaries: Film on Evacuation, by Larry S. Tajiri, page 3. Larry Tajiri reports that producer Sam Engel is considering a 20th Century Fox film about the wartime evacuation, focusing on the human story as in the novel Home Again. He discusses commercial prospects and the rising profile of Nisei actress Miiko Taka.
- Ex-WRA Physician Authors Book on Life of Japanese, page 3. A review of Dr. Kazuo Miyamoto’s book A Nisei Discovers Japan, a diary-based account of his two years in Japan in the late 1930s plus a 1955 postwar visit. The reviewer calls it a sympathetic interpretation of Japan and its people.
Military & Veterans
- Fresnan Passes State Architectural Exam, page 3. Harry Masao Nakata, a Hawaii-born Nisei veteran and University of California graduate now living in Fresno, passed the state architecture examination. His wife is a Japanese dance instructor.
- Five Receive JACL Sapphire Pin Awards, page 4. Five Midwest District JACL members received the sapphire pin for long-standing loyalty to the organization during the EDC-MDC convention luncheon. Recipients included Harold Gordon, Abe Hagiwara, Tom Masuda, Sumi Shimizu, and Peter Fujioka.
Obituaries
- Champion of Nisei During War Years at Salt Lake City Honored at Farewell Party, page 4. Salt Lake City YWCA members honored retiring executive secretary Florence Pierce, a wartime champion of Nisei rights who advised the local JACL and worked with the Nisei Victory Committee. She departed for Madison, Wisconsin after twelve years of service.
Thank you for exploring the Pacific Citizen archive. The title, introduction and contents on this page were written by an AI model from scans of the printed issue, so they may contain mistakes. If you spot one, we would be grateful if you let us know.