Day of Remembrance and the push for redress, 1985

Vol. 100, No. 8, March 1, 1985. 12 pages. View this issue

The front page carried the Day of Remembrance in Gardena, where about 300 people marked the anniversary of Executive Order 9066. Sen. Alan Cranston and Rep. Mervyn Dymally urged Asian American communities to pool political resources, and both discussed plans to reintroduce redress legislation in Congress. Related stories covered a San Jose commission’s report on the World War II incarceration (often called internment), a memorial unveiled in Sacramento, and redress pledge tables for two JACL districts on the last page.

Inside are chapter news and a conference on Japanese American community issues, with Tritia Toyota as keynote speaker, plus a panel on recruiting young adults. Columns by Harry K. Honda, Bill Hosokawa, Clifford Uyeda and Robert Shimabukuro fill the commentary pages. A look back at Rev. Emery Andrews, who followed his congregation to Minidoka, runs on page 11.

What’s in this issue

Incarceration & Redress

• Politicos Advise Pooling Resources at Day of Remembrance, by J.K. Yamamoto, page 1. About 300 people gathered in Gardena for a Day of Remembrance event marking the anniversary of Executive Order 9066, where Sen. Alan Cranston and Rep. Mervyn Dymally urged Asian American communities to pool political resources to achieve redress. Both lawmakers discussed plans to reintroduce redress legislation in Congress and described strategies for overcoming budget-related obstacles to passage.
• Internment Memorial Unveiled in Sacramento, page 2. A memorial consisting of a ceramic mural and poem by Hiroshi Kashiwagi was unveiled at the Sacramento county building to symbolize the unjust WW2 internment of Japanese Americans. The memorial resulted from a county ordinance establishing a fund to compensate former county employees dismissed due to their ancestry during the war.
• Florin Chapter Hosts Day of Remembrance Recognition Night, page 6. Florin JACL will hold ‘A Time of Remembrance Recognition Night’ featuring guest speaker Eric Saul, curator of the San Francisco Presidio Army Museum, with Issei and veterans of all wars honored as guests. The event includes a historical exhibit and a screening of the documentary ‘Nisei Soldier’ about the 442nd Regimental Combat Team.
• Redress Pledges Detailed for NCWNP and PSW Districts, page 12. A district governor’s note accompanies detailed tables showing chapter-by-chapter redress fund pledges and payments for the Northern California-Western Nevada-Pacific District and Pacific Southwest District. The governor urges members to increase fundraising efforts to meet pledge goals amid acknowledged difficulties.

National

• Fujiyoshi Continues to Challenge Registration Law, page 1. Ronald Fujiyoshi won a partial victory in his eleventh hearing challenging Japan’s Alien Registration Law and its fingerprinting requirement, which he argues targets Korean residents in Japan. A Korean witness testified about the psychological toll of forced assimilation, and a social psychology professor was admitted as a defense witness to explain these effects to the court.

Community

• City Panel Studies Internment, Backs Redress, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A 17-member San Jose commission reported to the city council that WW2 internment caused economic and psychological devastation to local Nikkei residents and that $20,000 per survivor was inadequate compensation. The report detailed the impact on roughly 7,000 people expelled from the Santa Clara Valley during the war.
• Santa Clara Nikkei to Honor Della Maggiore, by Phil Matsumura, page 2. A testimonial dinner will honor Sam Della Maggiore, a respected figure in the Santa Clara Valley Japanese community known for helping returning evacuees and supporting Nisei athletic programs. The annual San Jose basketball tournament will also be dedicated to him.
• Counseling Offered for Gay Asians, page 3. Little Tokyo Service Center is offering a 10-week group therapy series for gay Asian males to assist in personal growth and adjustment, led by two professionals with master’s degrees in social work. A similar group therapy series for Asian lesbians is also being developed.
• JAM Sponsors Literary Contest, page 3. The Japantown Art and Media Writers’ Workshop is sponsoring its fifth annual literary contest for high school students to encourage Asian American and Pacific Islander creative writing. Winners receive cash prizes and publication in the Hokubei Mainichi.
• Prewar Seattle Photo Exhibit Scheduled, page 3. A free photographic exhibit titled ‘The Way It Was: Northwest Issei and Nisei before 1942’ opens at the Nippon Kan Theatre, featuring about 250 photographs depicting the local Nikkei community before WWII. The exhibit coincides with the 75th anniversary of the Nippon Kan Theatre, a designated state historical site.
• Topaz 40th Reunion Planned, page 3. The Class of 1945 of Topaz, Utah High School will hold its 40th year reunion in San Francisco on June 29-30, expecting a large turnout given previous reunion success. The reunion banquet will be held at the Officers Club of the Presidio of San Francisco.
• Students to Gather for Business Forum, page 3. Thirty-two Los Angeles and Orange County colleges have been invited to a free business career forum for minority undergraduate students at the Biltmore Hotel. The forum aims to encourage minority students to consider corporate and graduate management careers.
• Counseling Scheduled for Vietnam Vets, page 3. Group therapy for Asian American Vietnam-era veterans is being offered weekly at the Vietnam Veterans Counseling Center in Northridge, facilitated by two doctors. The sessions address readjustment problems, peer support, and the dual identity challenges faced by Asian American veterans.
• San Diego JACL Singles Hold Initial Meeting, page 6. The San Diego JACL Singles group holds its initial meeting as an informal dinner at Tengu Restaurant, featuring guest speakers and an open forum. Possible future activities include ski trips, Las Vegas jaunts, and theater outings.
• Marina JACL Presents Communication Workshop, page 6. Marina JACL is presenting a three-part communication workshop series focusing on practical approaches to improving interpersonal communication skills, with special emphasis on concerns unique to Japanese Americans. The sessions will include speakers, group discussions, and experiential activities.

Arts & Entertainment

• 22 Charlie Chan Films May Hit TV Screens, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Twentieth-Century Fox plans to revive 22 Charlie Chan films on New York and San Francisco television and possibly distribute them nationally. Asian American representatives protested the character’s portrayal at a meeting with Fox executives.

Commentary

• Scenes of America, by Harry K. Honda, page 4. The author reflects on attending an NAACP anniversary celebration at a Black church, drawing parallels between the founding of the NAACP and JACL’s founding 20 years later. He recalls a moving experience singing the Black National Anthem and witnessing a Freedom Song performance during the Louisiana school desegregation struggles of the 1960s.
• Reauthorization of Indian Health Care Bill Needed, by Clifford Uyeda, page 5. The Indian Health Care Improvement Act, credited with reducing Indian infant mortality by 50%, expired in 1984 and was vetoed by President Reagan despite bipartisan support for reauthorization. The author argues the veto breaks a treaty-based commitment between the federal government and Indian tribes to provide for their welfare.
• On Membership, Professionals, and Activists, by Robert Shimabukuro, page 5. The author reflects on JACL membership recruitment challenges in Portland, identifying two groups of potential new members: professionals seeking leadership opportunities and politically progressive activists interested in human rights issues. He argues JACL must accommodate both groups through topical events and study groups to grow and remain relevant.
• Memorial at Iwo Jima, by Clifford Uyeda, page 7. Former Marines and Japanese survivors gathered at Iwo Jima to unveil a memorial commemorating the 40th anniversary of the battle, where former enemies shook hands and shed tears together. The author reflects on the tragic loss of life on both sides and hopes for a future without the horrors of war.
• Opposing Apartheid, by Stan Shikuma, page 8. The author responds to a critic’s accusation of ‘selective indignation’ regarding his writing on South African apartheid, listing numerous other social justice topics he has written about. He argues that opposing apartheid is a matter of political morality, not racism, drawing parallels to the Japanese American internment experience.
• Onizuka Ignored, by Jimmie Kanaya, page 8. A retired Army colonel laments the lack of Asian American representation in military recruiting campaigns and ceremonial units, questioning whether this discourages young Asian Americans from military careers. He plans to write to the Army Recruiting Command about the issue.
• Response on Lost in Space Article, by Laura Chin, page 8. A former OCA executive director expresses appreciation for the Pacific Citizen’s coverage of Ellison Onizuka’s historic spaceflight, noting that mainstream media largely ignored the achievement. She mentions efforts to publicize other Asian American space program participants.
• Whereabouts Inquiries, by William Shimasaki, page 8. A reader seeks information about former University of Nebraska classmates Bill Hashimoto and a chemical engineer named Yamashita from the 1943 graduating class. Another reader, Alan Lau, seeks the current address of Lori Reiko Higa to send her a magazine copy.
• Fire and Brimstone, by Eji Suyama, page 8. The author criticizes a previous letter writer’s characterization of JACL’s opposition to a congressional Year of the Bible resolution as anti-Caucasian and anti-Western. He points to historical atrocities committed in the name of Christianity and Western colonialism, including the Japanese American internment in a Christian nation.

Military & Veterans

• Aging Nisei Vets and Their Plans for the Future, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. The column discusses the uncertain future of Nisei veterans’ organizations and clubhouses as membership dwindles with age and Vietnam veterans fail to fill the void, citing a letter from Hiro Nishimura of the Nisei Veterans Newsletter in Seattle. The author connects this to broader demographic patterns among Nisei, most of whom were born within a compressed 15-year period and are now aging together.
• Yonehiro Delights Placer Installation, by Roy Yoshida, page 11. Ken Tokutomi was reelected president of Placer County JACL, pledging to recruit Sansei members and expand chapter programming. Guest speaker Judge George Yonehiro entertained attendees with stories from his WWII service with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team in Italy.

JACL

• Downtown Los Angeles Chapter Launches Young Adult Membership Drive, page 6. Downtown Los Angeles JACL announces its first membership drive targeted toward young adults through a new affiliated group called the Japanese American United Alliance. An informational meeting will introduce the group’s officers and plans to channel young adults’ interests toward serving the Nikkei community.
• Selanoco Installation Dinner Features Min Yasui, page 6. Min Yasui spoke at Selanoco Chapter’s 20th annual installation dinner, declaring that redress is an American issue, not just a Japanese American one. Tritia Toyota of KNBC-TV served as master of ceremonies for the event attended by 188 people.
• Marysville Chapter Scholarships Available, page 6. Marysville JACL Chapter is accepting applications for four scholarships, including two Henry M. Oji Memorial Scholarships, for graduating seniors and second-year college students who are chapter members or children of members. Judging is based on scholastic achievement, leadership, and need.
• Philadelphia Chapter Honors Graduates at Installation Dinner-Dance, page 6. The Philadelphia JACL Chapter will honor high school and college graduates at its installation dinner-dance, with national JACL president Frank Sato as guest speaker. Information about graduates should be submitted ahead of the event.
• Gardena Valley Seeks Candidates for Queen Contest, page 6. Gardena Valley JACL is seeking candidates for its annual Miss Gardena Valley queen contest, with the winner representing the chapter and competing for the Nisei Week Queen title and over $30,000 in prizes. Candidates must be single, aged 19-25, with at least one parent of full Japanese ancestry.
• Focus on Young Adults at NCWNP Meeting, by Chizu Iiyama, page 7. A panel discussion at the NCWNP-JACL meeting addressed the challenge of recruiting young adult members, with panelists including past national JACL president Floyd Shimomura and others sharing perspectives on JACL’s history and relevance. Panelists suggested JACL needs to become more visible, address issues important to young adults, and build connections with the wider community.
• LEC-JACL Discuss Fundraising, Elect Officers, page 7. The Legislative Education Committee, JACL’s lobbying arm, met to discuss fundraising strategies based on prime solicitors and elected new officers including chair Min Yasui. Frank Sato reported on efforts to coordinate with other redress organizations including NCJAR, NCRR, and Washington Coalition.
• Membership Renewal Plan Proposed, page 7. Rose Ochi proposed an alternative membership renewal system using a bank to collect dues and credit national and chapter accounts automatically, replacing a previously rejected plan. The new system would free chapter membership chairs from administrative tasks to focus on recruiting new members.
• Conference to Address Nikkei Issues, page 9. Tritia Toyota of KNBC-TV will keynote a day-long conference on contemporary Japanese American community issues sponsored by the Pacific Southwest District JACL at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. The conference includes panels on interethnic dialogue, interracial relationships, U.S.-Japan relations, aging and retirement, and JACL leadership involvement.
• Chapter Liaison Program Benefits Reactivated Chapters, by John Saito, page 9. The Ventura County JACL chapter was reactivated through efforts of Harry and Janet Kajihara, with recent projects including cleanup of a Japanese cemetery dating back to 1906. District treasurer Ken Inouye developed a liaison program between the district board and chapters after installing new officers in Coachella Valley.

Obituaries

• Roy Hurlbert, Columnist and Community Friend, Dies at 55, page 10. Roy Hurlbert, a Peninsula Times Tribune columnist and friend of the local Japanese American community, died unexpectedly after recuperating from a heart attack. He wrote editorials supporting redress and other causes, and is survived by his wife Mitsue, a sister, and nephews.
• Thomas T. Higa, Decorated 100th Infantry Veteran, Dies at 68, page 10. Thomas T. Higa, a former boat rental operator and decorated 100th Infantry veteran, died in Tripler Hospital. He was honored at the recent National JACL Convention in Honolulu as an author and longtime supporter, and was one of the earliest JACL ruby pin recipients.
• Louisiana Activist Tamai Dies, page 11. Frank Fumiaki Tamai, co-owner of Oriental Merchandise Co. and a prominent Asian American community activist in Metairie, Louisiana, died at age 58. He founded the local Bon Odori festival and Japan Culture Fair, and was instrumental in planting sakura trees in New Orleans City Park.

In-Depth

• Andrew’s Contributions to Nikkei Community Recalled, by G. Tim Gojio, page 11. The author recalls the life and legacy of Rev. Emery Andrews, a Baptist pastor who followed his Japanese American congregation into internment at Minidoka, making 56 round trips to Seattle to retrieve belongings for interned families. Andrews also helped organize postwar relief efforts in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and personally influenced the author’s own name.

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