Vol. 84, No. 19, May 20, 1977. 8 pages. View this issue
Japanese Canadians were preparing to mark 100 years since Manzo Nagano arrived in Canada in 1877. The front page described a stage show in Vancouver, a photo exhibit, a June parade down Powell Street and bus tours to former camp sites. Inside, an article traced Nagano’s life from Nagasaki to Victoria, and a separate item reported a $55,000 grant from the Canadian government for the celebration. Also on page one, Wayne Horiuchi, the JACL’s Washington representative, criticized the Carter administration’s record on hiring Asian Americans.
Other front-page stories covered Richard Takechi’s election to the Omaha city council, a San Diego County order to adopt affirmative hiring, and testimony on dropping the term “Mongolism.” Columns by Bill Hosokawa, Wayne Horiuchi and Joe Oyama fill the commentary pages, and chapter news from Portland, Salt Lake, San Francisco, Seattle and Sacramento rounds out the eight pages.
What’s in this issue
Community
- Japanese Canadians gear for gala parade down Powell St., page 1. Canadians of Japanese ancestry will mark the 100th anniversary of Manzo Nagano’s arrival with a stage show, koto performances, a photo exhibit, and a June parade down Powell Street in Vancouver. Bus tours to former concentration camp sites are also planned for late July.
- Takechi wins in Omaha; Kubokawa edged in P.A., page 1. Richard Takechi was elected to the Omaha city council, believed to be the first Japanese American to win a legislative post in the eastern half of the United States. Chuck Kubokawa finished sixth in a Palo Alto council race, falling 322 votes short of a seat.
- Sakura Matsuri outshining Nisei Week?, by Joe Oyama, page 2. Joe Oyama describes the 10th annual Cherry Blossom Festival in San Francisco, noting its large participation from Japan and its variety compared to Los Angeles’s Nisei Week. He praises the parade’s spectacle while observing the event’s international character.
- Fresno school district Asian students not considered minority, page 5. Nisei members of the Fresno desegregation advisory committee report that about 800 Asian students are not classified as minorities by the Fresno Unified School District. The district instead counts black and brown students as minorities.
- Issei nutrition study underway, page 6. The Portland JACL selected Tom Takeuchi to coordinate a survey on the nutritional needs of elderly Nikkei. The project was initiated by the chapter’s vice president and panel.
- Deadline changed for bowling entries, page 6. The entry deadline for the National JACL-Mas Satow Memorial handicap bowling tournament was extended to May 31 at chapters’ request. A special fun event for bowlers without a recent league average was also added.
- Retiree seminar, page 6. Salt Lake and Mt. Olympus JACL sponsored a follow-up seminar on financial and health issues facing retirees. Topics included estate planning, Social Security, Medicare and insurance.
- Blood pressures of elderly checked, page 7. The San Francisco JACL donated blood pressure cuffs to nurses running a hypertension project for Issei at Hamilton Senior Citizen and Hinode Towers. Volunteers are needed to help take monthly readings.
- Volunteers, Boeing help Keiro, page 7. The Boeing Employees Good Neighbor Fund granted $9,000 to Issei Concerns to purchase equipment for Keiro Nursing Home in Seattle. The home’s fundraising campaign also continued with volunteer refurbishing work.
- Students get acquainted with Asians in various occupations, page 7. Twenty-five Asian American professionals in Sacramento spoke to high school students during Project Motivation, a career awareness day held over Easter break. The program was organized with the local JACL and Lions clubs.
- Nisei development group activates, page 7. A Los Angeles Nisei development group is breaking ground on 78 homes in Alta Loma and later in Diamond Bar in a joint venture with the Fletcher Co. The projects total about $20 million and 440 homes.
Arts & Entertainment
- Stage star to speak at JAL award event, page 1. Actor and director Mako will be guest speaker at the Cultural Heritage Fellowship award ceremony at Stanford University on June 5, honoring four summer fellowship recipients to Japan. He will discuss his experiences as an Asian American actor and his work with East West Players.
National
- Carter hiring policy frustrating, page 1. Washington JACL Representative Wayne Horiuchi criticized the Carter administration for failing to hire qualified Asian Americans despite campaign promises. He called the administration’s talent inventory program a joke and faulted the old boy network for blocking appointments.
- ‘Mongolism’ term to be eliminated; Asians testify on AJR 20, page 1. Asian Americans testified in support of Assembly Joint Resolution 20, which would nationally eliminate the term ‘Mongolism’ as a synonym for Down’s Syndrome. The resolution argues the term is demeaning to people of Asian descent.
- San Diego Asians elated by affirmative hiring order, page 1. A federal court ordered the County of San Diego to stop job discrimination against Asians, Mexican Americans, blacks and women and to adopt affirmative hiring programs. The consent decree was negotiated with UPAC and COPAO, which praised the county’s positive attitude.
Incarceration & Redress
- Canada gives $55,000 to Centennial, page 2. The Canadian government awarded $55,000 to the Japanese Canadian Centennial Society to support its celebration marking the 100th anniversary of Manzo Nagano’s arrival. The grant will fund projects including a photographic exhibition, film festival, odori, library and sports events.
In-Depth
- Manzo Nagano: Canada first, page 2. The article traces the life of Manzo Nagano, the first known Japanese settler in Canada, who stowed away from Nagasaki and later built a business and community presence in Victoria. It also examines conflicting accounts of his arrival date and the later history of his family.
Commentary
- Bilingual/Bicultural, by Gunnar Olsborg, page 4. In a letter to the editor, Gunnar Olsborg argues that native-language teachers can be a handicap for young immigrant children learning English. He draws on his own experience as the son of Norwegian immigrants in Seattle.
- Yoshimura Trial, by Nobuyuki Nakajima, page 4. In a letter to the editor, Nobuyuki Nakajima urges Nisei to defend the principles of innocence until proven guilty and conviction only beyond doubt in the Wendy Yoshimura case. He questions why more Nisei have not spoken publicly about it.
- Inui-Fujimoto, by Peggy Tanaka, page 4. Peggy Tanaka praises Lloyd Inui and Albert Fujimoto for keeping the Long Beach-Harbor District JACL functioning through membership, mailing and reporting work. She calls on former members to help reactivate the chapter.
- A Fascinating Hayakawa, by Wayne Horiuchi, page 5. Wayne Horiuchi recounts attending a National Press Club luncheon with Senator S.I. Hayakawa, whose humor and satire challenged Senate institutions and conventions. He describes Hayakawa as a fascinating and unconventional American politician.
- Thanks and Ever Thanks, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. Bill Hosokawa recounts George Togasaki’s stories of giri and on, including a Japanese fishing family repaying a kindness shown to them decades earlier. He also describes Kikumatsu Togasaki’s efforts to repay a government scholarship he never used.
Obituaries
- Mike Masaoka dies at 67, page 6. A tribute to former national JACL leader Mike Masaoka, who served as JACL president in 1952, is noted in the chapter pulse section. Survivors are listed in the obituary notice.
Thank you for exploring the Pacific Citizen archive. The title, introduction and contents on this page were written by an AI model from scans of the printed issue, so they may contain mistakes. If you spot one, we would be grateful if you let us know.