Vol. 79, No. 5, August 2, 1974. 6 pages. View this issue
The 23rd Biennial National Convention in Portland filled the front page. Harry K. Honda reported on an opening day of long rules debates, budget talks and an Asian American Fair, and Shigeki Sugiyama was installed as national president. Another story covered the groundbreaking in San Francisco’s Nihonmachi for the JACL National Headquarters Building, with David Ushio among the speakers. On page 3 the paper urged members to give to the building fund, and Kay Kushino reported that the Twin Cities chapter raised $5,260 from 67 contributions.
Also in this issue: a recollection of leaving Tule Lake for Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana, and the threats that followed. Minoru Masuda wrote on Asian American strategy, Bill Hosokawa reviewed recent books, and Kats Kunitsugu’s column took up divorce among the Nisei. Other pages carried Norman Mineta’s campaign and the Nisei Week Festival pioneers.
What’s in this issue
Military & Veterans
- Tanaka Recalls Tule Lake, Earlham College, and Threats in Indiana, page 1. Tanaka describes leaving Tule Lake for Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana, where he faced threats as a Japanese American. He earned his B.A. despite the hostility and later reflects on the advantages Japanese Americans have today.
- New Guinea Battle Recreated, by Alan Beekman, page 5. A review of a book on the Japanese advance into New Guinea and the Allied defense that followed in 1942-43. The reviewer finds the account factually thorough but its narrative style lacking in drama.
JACL
- Opening Day Exhaustive at JACL National Convention, by By HARRY K. HONDA, page 1. The first day of the JACL National Convention in Portland featured lengthy rules debates, budget discussion, and an Asian American Fair. Delegates also considered nominations and the organization’s direction.
- Sugiyama Named JACL National President at Portland Convention, page 1. Shigeki Sugiyama was installed as national president at the 23rd Biennial National Convention in Portland. Delegates adopted amendments and budget measures shaping the coming biennium.
National
- Overseas Junkets Scrutinized If Paid by Foreign Gov’t, page 1. Congressional staff trips financed by foreign governments, such as a Japan Economic Research Council tour, are drawing scrutiny. A GAO ruling suggests such tours may violate federal law.
- Mineta’s Out-of-Town Support Assailed by GOP Chairman, page 4. GOP county chairman Mike Cobb criticized campaign contributions from outside the district to Norman Mineta’s congressional race. Democratic counterpart Alan Davis responded that such support reflects Mineta’s national reputation.
Community
- Brief Groundbreaking Rites for National Headquarters Building, page 1. A groundbreaking ceremony was held in San Francisco’s Nihonmachi for the JACL National Headquarters Building. Speakers including David Ushio and local officials marked the occasion.
- Kay Kushino Reports Twin Cities Building Fund Success, page 2. Kay Kushino, chair of the Twin Cities JACL drive for the National Headquarters Building, reports the chapter raised $5,260 from 67 contributions. She urges other chapters to organize their own fundraising.
- Nisei Week Festival Luncheon Honors Three Pioneers, page 6. The Nisei Week Festival luncheon will honor pioneers Eiju Sasajima, Kaichiro Tamedomi, and Teizo Hatashita. Festival events and art show details were also announced.
Commentary
- Asian Americanism: Strategy and Commonalities, by Minoru Masuda, Ph.D., page 2. Masuda argues that Asian Americans share common geography, culture, and experiences of discrimination that justify a joint socio-political identity. He calls for coalition-building across Asian groups rather than accommodation and ethnocentrism.
- Valley City: A Chinese American Community Portrait, page 2. A review of a book on a Chinese American community in a thinly disguised Sacramento setting examines how residents organized and the parallels and differences with Japanese Americans. The book is praised for its detailed record of local life.
- Heritage Is Priceless: Support the Building Fund, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The JACL urges members to contribute to the National Headquarters Building Fund before the extended campaign deadline. The piece frames the building as a center and living museum for the community’s heritage.
- Never Mind ‘Gaman’, by Kats Kunitsugu, page 4. Kunitsugu reflects on divorce in the Nisei community after a friend’s separation and quotes a reader’s letter on the trauma and cultural pressures of ending marriages. The writer describes how her children and a Nisei singles club helped her move forward.
Arts & Entertainment
- Current and Choice: Recent Books on Asian Americans, by Bill Hosokawa, page 2. Hosokawa reviews recent books on Asian Americans, including Harry Kitano’s Race Relations overview of major ethnic groups. He notes the continued publishing interest in the subject.
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