Vol. 61, No. 26, December 24, 1965. 48 pages. View this issue
The 1965 amendments to the Immigration and Nationality Act were the subject of this 48-page holiday issue. Mike Masaoka wrote on the front page about how the changes removed racial discrimination against Japanese and other Asians from federal law, and he traced JACL’s long campaign against the national origins quota system and the Asia-Pacific Triangle. Further pieces looked at the history of Asian exclusion laws, court decisions on naturalization, and the new preference system that began in 1968. Dean Rusk, as Secretary of State, argued against the national origins system. JACL national president Kumeo Yoshinari looked back on 1965 and ahead to the 1966 San Diego convention.
Elsewhere in the issue, Kafu Nagai’s short story “The Road Through the Pasture” ran on page 20. Yasuo Obi described meeting American veterans of Guadalcanal, and Kimi Shimamoto recalled mochi pounding for the New Year. Grant Masaoka reported on interviews with Issei. Holiday greetings from chapters, businesses and families filled 31 of the 48 pages.
What’s in this issue
National
- For Equality In and Under the Law, by Mike Masaoka, page 1. Mike Masaoka recounts how 1965 amendments to the Immigration and Nationality Act removed racial discrimination against Japanese and other Asians from federal law. He traces JACL’s decades-long campaign to end the national origins quota system and the Asia-Pacific Triangle restrictions.
JACL
- Migration: JACL Champions Asia-Pacific Immigrants, by P.C. Staff, page 1. JACL’s endorsement statement urged Congress to eliminate racial restrictions in immigration law, including the national origins quota and Asia-Pacific Triangle. The article summarizes JACL’s testimony and its recommendations for reform.
Commentary
- In Appreciation, by Harry K. Honda, page 2. The editor thanks the staff and volunteers who helped produce the 48-page Holiday Issue on time. He acknowledges advertising solicitors and office helpers by name.
- Three Magi, by Father Clement, page 2. Father Clement reflects on the Magi’s gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh as symbols of devotion and sacrifice. He connects their journey to the spiritual search every person undertakes to find God.
- A Year-End Festival: Mochi-Tsuki, by Kimi Shimamoto, page 2. Shimamoto recalls the childhood ritual of pounding mochi rice for the New Year and its role in the holiday season. She describes the preparation, the shared labor, and the ozoni served on New Year’s Day.
- New Year’s Eve?, by Bill Hesse, page 2. Hesse reflects on the changes in the twenty years since the end of World War II and on Nisei progress. He notes that Nisei have grown more prosperous and integrated into American life.
- Vigilant JACL Corrodes Origins System, by P.C. Staff, page 3. This article traces the history of racial discrimination in US immigration and naturalization law and JACL’s role in dismantling it. It explains how the Walter-McCarran Act and later reforms affected Japanese Americans.
- Exclusion: West Coast Jingoists Clamor, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The article examines the history of Asian exclusion laws, from the Chinese Exclusion Act through the Gentlemen’s Agreement and the 1924 Act. It argues that exclusion rested on racial prejudice rather than legitimate policy.
- Mukashi, O-Mukashi, by Dean Rusk, page 7. Secretary of State Rusk argues that the national origins system is incompatible with American principles and harms foreign relations. He urges Congress to adopt the Administration’s immigration bill.
- The Enemy at Guadalcanal, by Yasuo Obi, page 10. A Japanese veteran describes his invitation to visit the United States and meet members of an American unit he once fought. He recounts Guadalcanal memories and a tense exchange with a veteran before a friendly reconciliation.
- Naturalization: Racial Bars Fall, by P.C. Staff, page 11. This piece reviews court decisions that defined race-based naturalization eligibility and the eventual removal of those bars. It highlights JACL’s role in securing relief for Issei and Nisei veterans.
Community
- San Diego. Here We Come, by Kumeo Yoshinari, page 2. JACL national president Yoshinari reviews 1965 membership gains, new leadership among younger members, and public relations progress. He also discusses scholarships, legislative gains, and plans for the 1966 San Diego convention.
Incarceration & Redress
- Congress Removes Asia-Pacific Bar, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Congress’s 1965 amendments ended the Asia-Pacific Triangle restriction and the national origins quota system. The article explains the new preference system and transition period starting in 1968.
In-Depth
- The Road Through the Pasture, by Kafu Nagai, page 20. Nagai’s short story describes a bicycle outing near Tacoma and a dark tale of Japanese immigrant laborers. A group of men plot against a newcomer’s wife, leading to a tragic outcome.
- Sampling Issei Attitudes Through Interviews, by Grant Masaoka, page 47. Masaoka reports on the UCLA-based Japanese American Research Project’s interviews with Issei across the country. He explains the survey methods, the historical purpose, and the sociological questions being studied.
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