The 1974 JACL convention aftermath and a fight over a school nickname

Vol. 79, No. 8, August 23, 1974. 6 pages. View this issue

The 23rd JACL Biennial Convention in Portland set the course for this issue. Shigeki Sugiyama looked ahead to the next two years, including new National Board priorities and a push for membership growth, while Henry Tanaka listed positive trends in JACL, from renewed work on education and advocacy to more young adults and women in leadership. The National Council also adopted a resolution on anti-whaling actions that target Japanese Americans. Mike Masaoka offered a first look at President Gerald Ford.

Also inside: a campaign led by the Organization of Chinese Americans urging Pekin High School to drop a racial slur as its team nickname, and an editorial backing the name Dragons. Bill Hosokawa wrote about a family reunion in Denver, and Kats Kunitsugu looked at the volunteers behind Nisei Week. Other pages cover Little Tokyo redevelopment, a book review on the voyage of the St. Louis, and Jim Yoshida’s story, introduced by Senator Daniel K. Inouye.

What’s in this issue

Commentary

• To the Point: The Biennium Ahead, by Shigeki Sugiyama, page 1. Sugiyama reflects on the 23rd JACL Biennial Convention in Portland and the national events in Washington that week. He outlines the Council’s decisions, new National Board priorities, and the goal of membership growth to fund programs.
• Priorities and Positive Trends, by Henry Tanaka, page 1. Tanaka lists a series of positive trends within JACL over the past two years, including renewed focus on education and advocacy and growing Asian American coalitions. He notes the National Board’s increased openness and more young adults and women in leadership.
• A First Look at President Gerald Ford, by Mike Masaoka, page 1. Masaoka assesses Gerald Ford’s rise to the presidency after Nixon’s resignation and reviews Ford’s congressional record on civil rights and Japanese American issues. He notes Ford’s support for many JACL-sponsored bills and hopes he will take Japan’s role in the Pacific seriously.
• Pekin High ‘Dragons’, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The editorial supports the OCA campaign to replace Pekin High’s ‘Chinks’ nickname with ‘Dragons.’ It urges JACL chapters to send support to the OCA and to Mayor Waldermeir.
• Gathering of the Clan, by Bill Hosokawa, page 3. Hosokawa describes a family reunion in Denver after his son Mike moved to a new university job in Missouri. He reflects on his grandchildren and the changes that come with each move.
• On Margin: The View from the Other Side, by Kats Kunitsugu, page 4. Kunitsugu reminisces about past Nisei Week festivals and then describes the volunteer work behind the scenes. He honors the community members who sustain the festival year after year.

Community

• Pekin High Protests Mount Against Epithet Used by School Team, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Illinois Commission on Human Relations joined the Organization of Chinese Americans in urging Pekin High School to drop its ‘Chinks’ nickname. The school has used the term for 30 years, and petitions and letters of support are being solicited.
• NIMH Grants $200,000 Per Year for AAMH Research, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Service for Groups Inc. in Los Angeles was awarded a five-year NIMH grant to establish a national Asian and Pacific American mental health research center. The center will be community-controlled and guided by a 12-member national board.
• Little Tokyo Redevelopment: Eviction Notices Begin Improvements, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Community Redevelopment Agency is making fire safety improvements to several Little Tokyo hotels after citations under a city ordinance. Eviction notices for the Narasaki and Matsushima hotels were rescinded as the CRA acquires the buildings.
• Tanabata Election, by Ken R. Numata, page 5. Numata analyzes the July 7 House of Councillors elections in Japan, in which the LDP fell short of a majority. He discusses the political fallout for Prime Minister Tanaka and the continuing economic concerns.
• Japanese Tourists in Hawaii: Are They Being Victimized?, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Hawaii tour operators and police discuss complaints from Japanese tourists about crime and overcharging. Officials say the crime rate affects all visitors, not only those from Japan.
• Not Easy to Adopt Babies from Japan, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Foreign couples face long waits and limited options when trying to adopt Japanese infants, according to International Social Service. Japanese government figures show few infants available for adoption.
• Two Worlds of Jim Yoshida, by Senator Daniel K. Inouye, page 6. Senator Inouye introduces Jim Yoshida’s account of being forced to serve in the Japanese army despite his American citizenship. The book highlights the importance of citizenship and birthright to Yoshida’s life.

JACL

• JACL to Eye Anti-Whalers, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The National JACL Council adopted a resolution condemning actions in the anti-whaling campaign that target Japanese Americans. San Francisco JACLer Dr. Clifford Uyeda criticized the Wildlife Federation’s boycott of Japanese goods as counterproductive.

National

• N.Y. Group Hits Kissinger Remarks on South Korea, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Asian Americans for Action urged Senator Daniel Inouye to oppose military aid to repressive governments such as South Korea. The group criticized Secretary Kissinger’s justification that strategic security outweighs human rights concerns.
• New Quotas Offer Hope for Survival of Whales, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The International Whaling Commission set lower 1975 quotas for fin and sei whales, which Japan and the Soviet Union accepted. The article also notes the Law of the Sea Conference in Caracas, where fishing and ocean issues are under debate.

Military & Veterans

• Voyage of the St. Louis: Recountment of Tragic Odyssey, by Allan Beekman, page 5. Beekman reviews a book recounting the 1939 voyage of the St. Louis, carrying Jewish refugees who were refused entry by Cuba and the United States. The review notes the authors’ Nazi-influenced racial assumptions while praising the research.

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