Marriage bans in American Samoa and a six-page issue of JACL news

Vol. 65, No. 20, November 17, 1967. 6 pages. View this issue

A Korean fisherman and an American Samoan woman sued in Pago Pago after Governor Owen Aspinall refused to let them marry under a custom barring marriage between Asians and Samoans. The case could test whether U.S. law takes precedence over Samoan law. A related story told of a South African artist, Laurens Wiessner, and his Japanese bride, Miki Kono, who could not find a country where they could live together. Jerry Enomoto wrote about the Placer County Goodwill Dinner, and Mike Masaoka reviewed the election of Carl Stokes in Cleveland and Richard Hatcher in Gary.

Elsewhere in the issue, the ACLU asked that a county resolution honoring Dr. John R. Lechner be withdrawn, and four graduate students were named as candidates for the Dr. Mutsumi Nobe Memorial Scholarship. Joe Grant Masaoka appealed for the donation of Issei papers. Tour members described a free third week in Japan, and columnists Jeffrey Matsui, Jim Henry and Yosh Hotta filled the commentary pages.

What’s in this issue

National

• Anti-Miscegenation Laws Still Prevail: American Samoa Tradition Prohibiting Orientals Marrying Natives Challenged, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A Korean fisherman and an American Samoan woman sued in Pago Pago after Governor Owen Aspinall refused to permit their marriage under a longstanding custom barring marriage between Asians and Samoans. The case could test whether U.S. law takes precedence over American Samoan law.
• South African with Japanese Bride Unable to Bring Her Home, by United Press International, page 1. Elderly South African artist Laurens Wiessner married Japanese woman Miki Kono but cannot find a country where the couple can live together. Japan denied him permanent residence and South Africa treats Japanese as nonwhite for marriage purposes.

Commentary

• Placer Goodwill, by Jerry Enomoto, page 1. National JACL President Jerry Enomoto describes the 27th Annual Placer County JACL Goodwill Dinner, which drew a strong community turnout and featured speaker Yori Wada. He also reflects on chapter installations and other visits during his travels.
• Disillusioned Again, by Jerry Enomoto, page 1. The columnist laments the chronic losing of a local football team, describing years of unfulfilled promises. He jokes that even loyal fans may stop buying season tickets.
• Negro Election Victories, by Mike Masaoka, page 2. Masaoka reviews the election of Carl Stokes as Cleveland mayor and Richard Hatcher in Gary, viewing them as setbacks for black power militants. He quotes leaders across the political spectrum on the significance of the results.
• Non-Nisei Recipient of Award Grateful, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Cal Wilson, a Negro theater arts student at Los Angeles City College, received the first Hollywood JACL scholarship designated for a Negro student. He said the award would allow him to continue his education.
• Pluralism, by Yosh Hotta, page 4. Hotta notes recent fair housing developments in Anchorage and Hawaii and comments on a proposal to have schools separate students into cultural groups. He suggests JACL has long promoted pluralism through example.
• No Chicken, Please, by Jeffrey Matsui, page 4. Matsui comments on the busy season of JACL chapter installation banquets and the costs of attending them. He also notes the PSW district’s upcoming meetings.
• Poetic Justice, by Alan Kumamoto, page 4. Kumamoto reflects on the poem “The West Wind” by John Masefield, linking its imagery to the transition from East to West. He suggests different generations will read the lines in distinct ways.
• Mata Keerimasu—Part II, by Harry K. Honda, page 6. Editor Honda reflects on Japan’s press and the Okinawa reversion question in the context of Prime Minister Sato’s talks with President Johnson. He links the issues to trade tensions and Vietnam.
• Color of Money OK, by Paul S. Sakamoto, page 6. Sakamoto criticizes the Watsonville JACL for holding an anniversary dinner at the Elks Club, which discriminates against Japanese Americans. The editor responds that other chapters have also held functions there.
• Student Senator, by Jeffrey Matsui, page 6. Matsui responds to a student’s request for legislative priorities and background on Japanese Americans. He explains that most major legal barriers have been removed and the focus is now on broader minority equality.
• Something for Everyone, by Jim Henry, page 6. Henry examines the Sokagakkai religious movement in Japan and its political arm, the Komeito. He describes its growth, recruiting methods, and fundraising success.
• Kunituga Daughter Goes on First Date, by Kashu Mainichi, page 6. A parent recounts their daughter Claire’s first date and the negotiations over curfew with her father. The piece reflects on the changing stages of a daughter’s adolescence.

JACL

• 4 Candidates Vying for Dr. Nobe Scholarship Award, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Four male graduate students qualified for the 1967 Dr. Mutsumi Nobe Memorial Scholarship administered by JACL. The candidates and their sponsoring chapters are listed along with their academic backgrounds.
• Future JACL-Sponsored Japan Tours to Be Recommended; Third Week Dazzling, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Tour leaders recommended odd-year JACL tours with staff coordination and possibly more frequent shorter tours. Participants described their free third week, which included visits to Hiroshima and relatives.
• JACL Role as Human Rights Organization Stressed at West L.A., San Gabriel, by Harry Honda, page 2. National President Jerry Enomoto addressed the West Los Angeles and San Gabriel Valley JACL chapters, emphasizing JACL as a human rights organization committed to lawful action. He also praised the West L.A. Auxiliary for a $1,000 civil rights contribution.

Incarceration & Redress

• Historians Moan Loss of Issei Papers, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Joe Grant Masaoka of the Japanese American Research Project reports that valuable Issei papers are being destroyed by Nisei children who cannot read Japanese. He urges families to donate such documents so historians can document pre-1900 Japanese activity in the Far West.
• ACLU Requests Hahn Retract 1967 Citation, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The ACLU asked Supervisor Kenneth Hahn to withdraw a county resolution honoring Dr. John R. Lechner, citing his wartime anti-Japanese activities. The request was based on a Jeffrey Matsui column documenting Lechner’s campaigns against Japanese Americans.

Community

• San Jose Re-elects Kinaga to 3rd Term, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Karl Kinaga won a third consecutive term as president of the San Jose JACL chapter. The chapter will host the national convention in August of the following year.
• Twin Brothers Equally Superior in Work, Too, Says AFB Director, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Identical twins John and Mike Kono received superior performance awards at McClellan Air Force Base, a first for the base. Their family connection to weightlifter Tommy Kono is also highlighted.
• Value of Ethnic Churches Studied, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Pacific School of Religion is surveying East Bay Japanese American households about the future of ethnic churches. Volunteer interviewers are visiting homes to ask about religion and Japanese culture.
• Men of Goodwill, by Homer Takahashi, page 4. Takahashi reports on the Placer County chapter’s 27th Annual Goodwill Dinner, held at the Auburn fairgrounds with over 250 attending. He describes the event’s speakers and the planning for future dinners.

Military & Veterans

• Distinguished Shot Spearheads U.S. Army Small Arms Training, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Maj. Lawrence Takahashi of Honolulu, a Distinguished Rifleman and Distinguished Pistol Shot, leads Army small arms training at Fort Monroe. He explains the competitive marksmanship program’s structure and its value for recruiting.
• Japan Tours Continued: Honolulu Reports, by Richard Gima, page 6. Returning JACL tour members visited Honolulu attractions including the Polynesian Cultural Center and the Hawaiian Wax Museum. Their experiences and favorite stops are described.

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