Civil rights, Issei history and the new immigration law, 1965

Vol. 61, No. 16, October 15, 1965. 6 pages. View this issue

Civil rights and community history shared the front page of this six-page issue. Leaders of Mexican American organizations in Los Angeles rejected a Ford Foundation research finding of anti-Negro sentiment, arguing that the two communities share poverty and should work together. Masao W. Satow wrote about Issei farmers on Yakima Indian lands, recorded through the JACL-UCLA history project, and another story traced the court cases that struck down California’s Alien Land Law. Mike Masaoka’s Washington Newsletter reported on the new immigration law and thanked those who helped secure it.

Also inside: plans for the 20th National JACL bowling tournament in San Francisco, Ambassador Takeuchi’s coming address at the Mountain-Plains convention in Omaha, and an editorial urging a higher Jr. JACL age limit. Bill Hosokawa reviewed a Denver concert by the Kwansei Gakuin Glee Club, Edward A. Oshiro wrote about teaching in Ghana with the Peace Corps, and Dick Ogawa remembered Nellie Kiefer, who hosted soldiers of the 100th Infantry Battalion.

What’s in this issue

National

  • LA. Mexicans Deny Anti-Negro Feeling; History Project Research Samplings Aired at Conference, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Leaders of Mexican American organizations in Los Angeles rejected findings of a Ford Foundation research report showing anti-Negro sentiment among their community. They argued that Mexican Americans and Negroes share poverty and should work together on civil rights goals.

Community

  • Japanese Ambassador Takeuchi to Address Mountain-Plains JACL Convention in Omaha, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Ambassador Takeuchi will be a featured guest at the Mountain-Plains JACL convention banquet in Omaha. The convention will include a bowling tournament and other events for members from several states.
  • Hawaii Heart Program in Honolulu Starts Second Phase, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Honolulu Heart Program, a study of over 10,000 men of Japanese ancestry, has entered its second phase. The project aims to determine factors related to heart disease among Japanese men in Hawaii compared to Japan.
  • Yakima Indian Lands Farmed by Issei Recalled in History Project, by Masao W. Satow, page 1. Issei farmers worked Yakima Indian reservation lands in the early 1900s, a history recorded through the JACL-UCLA history project. The article describes their contributions to Pacific Northwest agriculture.
  • Peace Corps Allays Fear and Prejudice in Ghana, by Edward A. Oshiro, page 3. Edward Oshiro, a Peace Corps volunteer, describes his two years teaching science in Ghana and the community projects he helped establish. He reflects on how volunteers overcame local suspicion and whether they made lasting impact.

JACL

  • 700 Teams Seen for 20th National JACL Bowling Tournament in San Francisco, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Organizers anticipate around 700 teams for the 20th National JACL bowling tournament at the Downtown Bowl in San Francisco March 7-12. Committee chairmen and planning details were announced.

Incarceration & Redress

  • Alien Land Law Invalidated: Historic Decisions on California and Oregon Restrictions, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The article traces court challenges that struck down California’s Alien Land Law and Oregon’s similar statute. It recounts the 1952 Sei Fujii and Namba cases and their importance to Japanese American rights.

Obituaries

  • Funeral Held in Arlington for Lt. Col. Emmons, Who Championed Nisei Loyalty, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Funeral services were held in Arlington, Virginia, for Lt. Col. Emmons, a commander who defended Nisei loyalty during World War II. He is remembered for advocating that Americans of Japanese ancestry be allowed to serve.

Commentary

  • The Jr. JACL Age Limit, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The editorial proposes raising the Jr. JACL age limit from 18 to 30 to keep young adults involved and provide leadership pipeline for Sansei. It argues the change would strengthen the youth program and recruit future advisers.
  • Washington Newsletter: New Immigration Law, by Mike Masaoka, page 2. Mike Masaoka reports on the new immigration legislation and its benefits for Asian and Pacific Americans. He thanks JACL members and supporters for their efforts in securing the law’s provisions.
  • Frying Pan: Kwansei Gakuin Glee Club Performance in Denver, by Bill Hosokawa, page 3. Bill Hosokawa reviews a Denver concert by the Kwansei Gakuin Glee Club from Japan, praising its folk music and choral excellence. He sees the performance as a successful blend of Western and Japanese musical traditions.
  • Japanese Plantation Labor in Hawaii: Mistreatment Recounted, by Allan Beerman, page 6. The author rebuts claims that Japanese plantation workers in Hawaii were well treated, citing historical accounts of harsh conditions and overseer abuse. He describes how planters imported Japanese laborers to divide the workforce.

Military & Veterans

  • Ma Kiefer of 100th Bn. Fame Dies; Had Befriended Hawaiians, by Dick Ogawa, page 6. Mrs. Nellie Kiefer of La Crosse, Wisconsin, who hosted soldiers of the 100th Infantry Battalion during training, has died. The Hawaiian veterans repaid her hospitality by inviting her to visit Hawaii as their guest.

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