Racial violence in Boston, a recalled Manzanar exhibit, and the redress push

Vol. 100, No. 24, June 21, 1985. 12 pages. View this issue

Racial violence in Boston led this issue of the Pacific Citizen. The front page reported on two recent incidents involving Indochinese residents, including a home invasion by about 30 white males, and said police had not ruled out racial motivation. Also on page 1, the Library of Congress recalled Ansel Adams’ Manzanar photos from a Philadelphia exhibit, and Judge Robert Takasugi declined reappointment to a civil rights advisory committee. On page 3, Thomas Kobayashi gave $1,000 to the Legislative Education Committee to start its fund drive for redress.

The commentary pages carried Bill Hosokawa on ethnicity, Clifford Uyeda on JACL and beauty contests, Bob Shimabukuro on supporting Japanese American artists, and James Tanda on the JACL board’s U.S.-Japan relations agenda. Inside are also a Topaz High School reunion, news of a planned Japanese American National Museum, the Nisei Relays results, and the founding of a Northern California chapter of the Asian American Journalists Association.

What’s in this issue

National

• More Racial Violence Hits Boston, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Boston’s Asian American community reported growing concern after two violent incidents involving Indochinese residents, including a home invasion by about 30 white males and an assault on four Cambodians. Police are investigating possible racial motivation, while other recent attacks on Asian immigrants have drawn city-wide attention.
• Hiroshima, Nagasaki Remembered at Symposium, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Seattle Pacific University hosted a symposium marking the 40th anniversary of the atomic bombings, featuring speakers from the Akiba Project and survivors of the bombings. Panels discussed the lasting lessons of nuclear war and efforts to promote awareness through journalism and education.
• Takasugi Leaves Civil Rights Post, by Rafu Shimpo, page 1. U.S. District Court Judge Robert Takasugi declined reappointment to the State Advisory Committee of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, citing Chair Clarence Pendleton’s opposition to affirmative action. Takasugi said the Commission has become ineffective and that he would only be a non-effective antagonist if he stayed.
• Hibakusha Medical Team Coming to L.A., by P.C. Staff, page 3. A Hiroshima medical team examining hibakusha, survivors of the atomic bombings, will conduct examinations at City View Hospital in Los Angeles from June 22-25. Volunteers are being sought to assist with the effort.
• Ouchi Urges Informal Approach to Trade Problems, by J.K. Yamamoto, page 5. UCLA professor William Ouchi told a LEAP audience that Asian Americans could play a key informal role in easing U.S.-Asia trade friction, since formal mechanisms like GATT are ill-suited to non-tariff disputes with Pacific Rim nations. He emphasized that genuine, organically-developed personal relationships, not institutional intermediaries, would be most effective in bridging trade conflicts.
• Peace Group Backs Redress Bills, by P.C. Staff, page 12. The Fellowship of Reconciliation adopted a resolution at its national council meeting endorsing congressional redress bills HR 442 and S 1053 for Japanese and Aleut internees. The resolution was authored by Ryo Imamura, and FOR had historically aided internees during WW2.

Incarceration & Redress

• Manzanar Photo Exhibit Recalled by Government, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Library of Congress unexpectedly recalled Ansel Adams’ Manzanar photos from a Philadelphia exhibit, citing a six-month display limit for vintage photos. Organizer Emily Medvec disputed the policy’s existence and later reached a resolution allowing high-quality reproductions to continue the national tour.

Community

• Dramatic Filmmaking Course Offered, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Visual Communications is accepting applications for a Dramatic Filmmaking course teaching writing, direction and production of short Super-8 narrative films with an emphasis on Asian Pacific themes. No prior experience is required, and a $75 fee covers film processing materials.
• Asian Anti-Drug Film Completed, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Producer/director Spencer Nakasako completed “Q It Up,” an anti-drug educational video for the Chinatown Youth Center in San Francisco, featuring well-known Asian American actors like Dennis Dun and Laureen Chew. The dramatic approach aims to provoke discussion among young viewers rather than deliver direct messaging.
• Sheriff’s Dept. Seeks Recruits, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is recruiting statewide to fill 600 anticipated deputy sheriff openings, offering starting salaries up to $26,000. Applicants must meet age, citizenship, and education requirements, with added pay for degrees and bilingual skills.
• Topaz High School to Hold Reunion, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Over 125 members and guests of Topaz WRA High School’s class of 1945 will gather for a 40th reunion marking both their unique wartime education and the 40th anniversary of their liberation from camp. Events include a reception, banquet, and brunch featuring speakers Mike Suzuki and George Kobayashi.
• Yamato Colony Descendants Honored, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Descendants of the founders of the Yamato Colony gathered in Delray Beach, Florida as the Morikami Museum dedicated four pavilions to the founding families. Proclamations recognized May 4 as Yamato Heritage Day, honoring the colony’s agricultural and cultural legacy.
• JA National Museum Established, by P.C. Staff, page 7. An ad hoc committee led by President-Chairman Bruce T. Kaji has organized to establish a Japanese American National Museum as a repository for exhibitions and archival materials on Japanese American history. The museum will be temporarily located at 941 East Third St. in Los Angeles while the group seeks public support and funding.
• JA to Head State Dental Association, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Dr. Harold Harada of Culver City was named president of the 14,000-member California Dental Association, becoming the first Japanese American to lead a state dental association. He has been active in peer review and board leadership roles within CDA as well as community organizations.
• Chapter Pulse, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Brief chapter news roundup covering Coachella Valley’s successful Haru Festival fundraiser for a Japanese garden, a planned Fowler reunion in October, and South Bay chapter scholarship winners and Fourth of July volunteer activities.
• AAJA Scholarships to Be Awarded, by P.C. Staff, page 12. The Asian American Journalists Association will announce winners of its 1985 scholarship competition at a June 28 awards reception in Los Angeles, with more than $10,000 to be awarded to aspiring journalists. The reception will also introduce AAJA’s new executive director, Karen Seriguchi.

JACL

• LEC Receives $1,000 Donation, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Thomas Kobayashi, a former Seattle City Light employee fired during WW2 due to his ancestry, donated $1,000 to the Legislative Education Committee to kick off its fund drive. Kobayashi later served in military intelligence and received compensation from the city after a 1984 ordinance addressed his wartime dismissal.

Commentary

• A Leak in the Boat, page 4. This editorial argues that Japanese Americans and JACL have a moral obligation to speak out against racism directed at other groups, warning that ignoring such injustice is both foolish and dangerous. The piece criticizes JACL’s historical reluctance to promptly address social injustices and calls for vigilance against rising intolerance in America.
• Great Issue, by Joe Oyama, page 4. A reader praises the June 7 issue of the Pacific Citizen for its diverse and broad coverage of Japanese and Asian American news. He specifically commends articles by Mei Nakano and J.K. Yamamoto.
• More on Beauty Contests, by Clifford Uyeda, page 4. The writer argues that JACL, as a civil rights organization committed to upholding human rights for all people, should not sponsor beauty contests that exclude participants based on race. He contends the issue is straightforward despite becoming entangled with other debates about opportunity and autonomy.
• Support Your Local Artist, by Bob Shimabukuro, page 4. The columnist reflects on the Japanese American community’s historical neglect of its artists, citing writers Toshio Mori and John Okada and artists Miné Okubo and George Nakashima who went largely unrecognized. He urges readers to support upcoming fundraisers for Nobuko Miyamoto’s Great Leap and Visual Communications’ 15th anniversary celebration.
• Ethnicity Overemphasized?, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. Hosokawa explores whether the Japanese American community’s emphasis on ethnic culture may inadvertently reinforce the majority’s perception of them as outsiders rather than full Americans. He recounts a discussion among colleagues debating whether returning to older assimilationist values might better establish Japanese American identity, without reaching a consensus.
• An Ill-Considered Policy, by James Tanda, page 5. Tanda criticizes the National JACL Board for prioritizing a vague “U.S.-Japan Relations” agenda over redress efforts, arguing Sansei delegates lack the bilingual/bicultural expertise to serve as meaningful bridges between the countries. He warns that accepting funding from Japan’s ruling party for delegation trips could undermine JACL’s credibility in pursuing redress.
• Ouchi’s Views on the ‘Bridge’ Concept, page 5. In response to a question about JACL’s U.S.-Japan relations program, William Ouchi stated that any bridging role Japanese Americans play between the two countries must develop naturally rather than through formal institutional positioning. He argued that community groups should instead encourage young members to build broad contacts organically over time.
• Hypocrisy and Xenophobia, by G. Tim Gojio, page 8. Gojio criticizes Lee Iacocca’s hypocritical anti-Japan rhetoric given Chrysler’s own reliance on Mitsubishi-made vehicles and engines, and condemns Sen. Paul Trible’s ignorant remarks claiming Asians have no value for life. He argues that such xenophobic statements fuel racism and calls for education to combat ignorance and hypocrisy alike.

Sports

• 11 Records Set at Nisei Relays, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Orange County JACL’s track team won its ninth straight team title at the 35th annual Pacific Southwest JACL-Mikasa Nisei Relays, where eleven new records were set across various divisions. Over 300 participants competed in the event co-chaired by Russ Hiroto and Carrie Okamura.

Military & Veterans

• Minority Soldier Exhibits on View, by Hokubei Mainichi, page 8. Go For Broke, Inc. and the National Japanese American Historical Society announced two Bay Area exhibits on minority soldiers: “Forgotten Heroes,” about Filipino soldiers, and “Ready and Forward,” about Black soldiers. Both exhibits are on display at historic military sites in San Francisco.
• Seattle Journalist Wins Awards, by P.C. Staff, page 8. KIRO Newsradio reporter Frank Abe won a first place Unity Award for his report on Native American treaty rights and two additional awards for his series “Pow Wow: Modern American Indians in a Non-Indian World.” Abe, a former Asian American Theater Workshop founding member, was active in Seattle’s redress campaign before his journalism career.

Arts & Entertainment

• AAJA Establishes No. Calif. Chapter, by P.C. Staff, page 12. The Northern California chapter of the Asian American Journalists Association was formally established at a gathering of about 70 journalists at KPIX-TV studios. Founding members included anchors Wendy Tokuda and Ken Kashiwahara, with leaders discussing AAJA’s growth, new chapters nationwide, and goals for improving Asian American media coverage.

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