Civil rights, a Nisei convention in Tokyo and a revived JACL chapter

Vol. 45, No. 17, October 25, 1957. 8 pages. View this issue

Civil rights ran through the front page of this eight-page issue. The Supreme Court refused to hear a Virginia appeal, leaving school integration orders in place, and a Seattle couple sued a cemetery that refused to bury their three-year-old son because he was Negro. Dr. Roy Nishikawa’s President’s Corner told how the Long Beach-Harbor District JACL went from near collapse to one of the most active chapters of 1957. The first Nisei International Convention opened in Tokyo, and Mike Masaoka wrote about what it could mean for Japan and America.

Elsewhere, Bill Hosokawa, Larry S. Tajiri and Harry K. Honda wrote columns, and Honda looked back on Little Rock. Chapter news came from Sequoia, Placer County, San Mateo, Seattle and Salt Lake. The sports page followed bowlers and college football players, including Tommy Fujii’s perfect 300 game. Dillon Myer, former War Relocation Authority director, spoke in Hawaii about the wartime removal.

What’s in this issue

Commentary

• President’s Corner: Sound Leadership Inspires, Pays Off, by Dr. Roy Nishikawa, page 1. The Long Beach-Harbor District JACL revived from near collapse under new leadership to become one of 1957’s most active chapters. Its record of growth, fundraising, and youth programs shows what a dispirited chapter can achieve under good leadership.
• From the Frying Pan, by Bill Hosokawa, page 2. Hosokawa highlights a poetry contest on Japan sponsored by Charles E. Tuttle Co. and reflects on early Nisei poets. He also muses on Alaskan King crab cuisine and the samisen-like beat in American boogie music.
• Stopover Tokyo, by Larry S. Tajiri, page 3. Tajiri reviews the film Stopover Tokyo, noting JACL concern over Nisei portrayals and the film’s substantial departure from Marquand’s novel. He praises the film’s Japanese settings and the performance of young Reiko Oyama.
• The Northwest Picture: Morning After, by Elmer Ogawa, page 6. Ogawa recounts how Seattle sports editor Royal Brougham’s column helped end the American Bowling Congress’s whites-only clause. He also profiles Nisei hydroplane racers and celebrates Judy Seki’s sanctioned 300 bowling game.
• Los Angeles Newsletter: Youth Program, by Henry Mori, page 7. Mori praises the Long Beach-Harbor JACL youth program, including a midget baseball league shown in a documentary. He also reports on Mitzi Miya’s float appearance in the Pasadena Rose Parade.
• Tokyo Conclave, by Mike Masaoka, page 8. Masaoka argues that Japanese-American relations are strained amid broader U.S. setbacks and that the International Nisei Convention in Tokyo offers a valuable opportunity. He urges Nisei to promote mutual understanding between Japan and America.

Military & Veterans

• Col. Rasmussen, MISLS Founder, Main Speaker at Arlington Rites, by JACL News Service, page 1. Col. Kai E. Rasmussen will pay tribute to Nisei war dead at the annual Nisei Soldiers Memorial Day services at Arlington National Cemetery on Oct. 27. The program recounts Rasmussen’s role founding the Military Intelligence Service Language Schools during WWII.
• Golden Gate Nisei VFW Post Commander Named Aide-de-Camp, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Frank Dobashi, past commander of Golden Gate Nisei Memorial VFW Post 9879, was named an aide-de-camp to the state VFW commander. The appointment recognizes the growth of Nisei VFW posts across California.

National

• Supreme Court Smashes Another Southern Attempt to Block School Desegregation, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear a Virginia appeal, leaving standing orders to integrate Norfolk and Newport News schools. The ruling effectively struck down barriers raised by Virginia’s 1956 Pupil Placement Act.
• Cemetery Sued, Refuses to Bury Child of Negro Parents, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Parents filed suit against a Seattle cemetery that refused burial of their three-year-old son because he was Negro. The complaint cites a 1952 state amendment prohibiting such discrimination.
• Nisei Heads Michigan Univ. ROTC Regiment, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Alexander Nakatani of Honolulu was appointed cadet colonel and regimental commander of the University of Michigan ROTC. He earned top honors at summer camp and was initiated into the Scabbard and Blade honor society.
• Chuman Named to L.A. County Human Relations Committee, by P.C. Staff, page 3. JACL national legal counsel Frank F. Chuman was appointed to a three-year term on the Los Angeles County Committee on Human Relations. The Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the appointment.
• Minority Bias in Auto Insurance Charged by Sacramento Legislator, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Assemblyman Charles H. Wilson charged insurers with denying auto coverage to people solely because of minority status. He proposed state-run insurance if private companies refuse adequate coverage.
• Director’s Report: An Issei Gives a Lift, by Masao Satow, page 4. Satow praises Issei supporter Mr. Z. Kanegae for donating 24 One Thousand Club memberships and urges Nisei to emulate such community commitment. He also discusses committee efforts to eliminate derogatory ethnic terms and expand JACL scholarships.

Incarceration & Redress

• Problem of Interment of Japanese Reported Nil, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Seattle cemeteries were found to have no practical concern over interment of Japanese Americans, though Japanese graves are grouped separately. Special Nisei veterans monuments have faced restrictions at Washelli cemetery.
• Chicago Dietz: Cemetery Refuses Burial of Negro Child, by P.C. Staff, page 2. A Seattle policeman and his wife sued Washelli-Evergreen cemetery after it refused burial of their Negro son in Babyland. A similar complaint was filed on behalf of another family whose infant was also refused.
• Dillon Myer More Interested in Social Aspects of Hawaii Than Scenery, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Former WRA director Dillon Myer, visiting Hawaii, said mass evacuation was unnecessary and that relocation helped integrate Japanese Americans. He recalled his campaign to let Nisei fight in WWII.

Community

• First Nisei International Convention Opens in Tokyo; Kishi Welcomes 500 Delegates, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The first Nisei International Convention opened in Tokyo with about 500 delegates aiming to promote goodwill between Japan and the United States. Prime Minister Kishi welcomed attendees, saying Nisei can help link the two nations.
• Sanger Top Winner in Fresno District Fair, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Forty-one Sanger exhibitors won 203 awards at the Fresno County Fair. The Sanger District Chamber of Commerce feature booth won first prize and the sweepstakes.
• Calipatria Plans Tallest Flagpole in Honor of Tak Momita, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Imperial Valley city of Calipatria, 184 feet below sea level, plans a 184-foot flagpole honoring Nisei Tak Momita’s wife, who was killed in an auto accident. Citizens contributed to the memorial and the story drew national attention.
• Sequoia JACL Katonk Luau Draws Record Crowd of 200, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Nearly 200 people attended the Sequoia JACL Katonk Luau at the Palo Alto Buddhist Hall, a record for the chapter. The Hawaiian-themed evening featured a pig roast, costume contests, and performances by a Hawaiian club.
• Placer County JACL Plans 17th Annual Goodwill Dinner, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Placer JACL will hold its 17th annual goodwill dinner on Nov. 12 at Auburn with State Senator Harold Johnson as principal speaker. Committees have been formed and various community leaders invited.
• San Mateo JACL Hobby Show Awards Announced, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Michiko Yamada’s original feather hats won the sweepstakes at the second annual San Mateo JACL hobby show. Demonstrations included doll making, flower arrangement, bonsai, and brush painting.
• Seattle JACL Changes Election Meeting Date, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Seattle JACL moved its general election meeting from Nov. 6 to Nov. 12. A kinescope of This Is Your Life featuring Mike Masaoka will be screened.
• Fort Lupton JACL Building Torn Down, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Fort Lupton JACL demolished its two-story landmark building, condemned after fire damage. The structure had once served as a grade school and later a Japanese language school.
• San Jose JACL Plans Social Evening and UN Day Participation, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The San Jose JACL planned a social evening with a potluck supper and games, and voted to sponsor foreign students for UN Day ceremonies. Nominations committee members were also selected for the 1958 cabinet.
• Salt Lake JACL Discusses Home Rule Issue at General Meeting, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Prof. Elmer Smith explained the municipal home rule issue at the Salt Lake JACL general meeting. Members voted to retain the current officers, with write-in ballots provided.
• San Francisco JACL Women’s Auxiliary Fashion Luncheon, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The San Francisco JACL Women’s Auxiliary will hold a fashion show luncheon at the Mark Hopkins Hotel featuring designs by American designers. Over 400 attendees are expected.
• Night in Ginza Theme for Optimist Club Dinner-Dance, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The Japanese American Optimist Club’s second annual dinner-dance on Nov. 9 will feature a Night in Ginza theme and entertainment. Gary Nottingham’s orchestra will play.
• Seattle Approves Kobe as Sister City, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The Seattle City Council unanimously approved a resolution adopting Kobe as a sister city. The action continues Seattle’s international exchange efforts.
• Eight Weeks After Little Rock Incident, by Harry K. Honda, page 5. Honda reflects on Little Rock school integration and other racial incidents, noting both ugly conflicts and spontaneous neighborly reactions. He argues that good citizenship means promoting fair play and justice.
• Chicago PC Holiday Greetings Campaign Underway, by Smoky H. Sakurada, page 7. Chicago JACL is soliciting 1957 Pacific Citizen Holiday Issue greetings from local businesses and supporters. Several businesses have already responded favorably.
• Tulare JACL Bowling Tournament Announced, by P.C. Staff, page 8. A bowling tournament sponsored by Tulare County JACL will be held at Visalia Bow Alley with prizes for men and women. Entry details and handicap rules were announced.

JACL

• Intermountain District Council Convention Plans Announced, by Yoshiko Ochi, page 5. The ninth biennial IDC convention and 10th anniversary of the National JACL 1000 Club will be held Nov. 29-30 in Idaho Falls. Mike Masaoka will speak at the Saturday banquet.

Sports

• Tommy Fujii Rolls Perfect 300 Game in Detroit, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Tommy Fujii of Detroit rolled the first sanctioned 300 game by a Nisei bowler in Detroit at Rainbow Recreation. He is in three leagues with a 185 average and awaits prize confirmation.
• Nobu Asami Qualifies for Women’s Match Play Nationals, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Nobu Asami of Berkeley finished second in the Northern California women’s bowling finals, qualifying for the National Women’s Bowling Championships in Minneapolis. She is the first Nisei woman from the area to earn the trip.
• Kaz Shinzato Cut From USC Basketball Roster, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Kaz Shinzato was cut from USC’s varsity basketball roster after a promising frosh career that included a school scoring record. Coach Forrest Twogood cited the influx of junior college transfers as the reason.
• Mitch Yamamoto Starts for College of the Pacific Football, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Mitch Yamamoto stepped into the starting lineup for College of the Pacific after Ken Rutter was sidelined by the Asian flu. The team tied Kansas 7-7 in that game.
• Ken Fujii Ranks Fourth Nationally in Passing Yardage, by P.C. Staff, page 6. University of Nevada quarterback Ken Fujii ranks fourth among small-school passers nationally. His performance led the Wolfpack to a 21-13 victory over Cal Aggies.

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