Judge Gus Solomon dies; redress and a Day of Remembrance

Vol. 104, No. 8, February 27, 1987. 8 pages. View this issue

The front page carried the death of U.S. District Judge Gus Solomon, who died Feb. 15 at age 80. His 58-year legal career included opposition to the wartime incarceration (often called internment) of Japanese Americans, and former Portland JACL president George Azumano and attorney Peggy Nagae spoke of his support. The same page covered redress: Sen. Pete Wilson became the latest co-sponsor of the bill Sen. Spark Matsunaga plans to introduce, and at the Day of Remembrance in San Jose, Rep. Norman Mineta set a September target for passage. Reps. Robert Matsui and Mineta also asked for hearings on violence against Asians.

Inside are J.K. Yamamoto’s report on JACL’s response to an INS detention plan for Arabs and Iranians, Mollie Fujioka’s column on what JACL offers its members, and Harry Honda’s reports on the 1988 JACL convention and the national board’s membership drive. Other pages include news on the 442nd Regimental Combat Team film “Yankee Samurai,” a UCLA fellowship, and the Mitsue Takahashi case.

What’s in this issue

National

• Judge Known for Civil Rights Work Dies at 80, page 1. U.S. District Judge Gus Solomon, who opposed the wartime internment of Japanese Americans during his 58-year legal career, died Feb. 15 at age 80. Colleagues and former JACL leaders praised his lifelong advocacy for civil rights and his support of Japanese Americans during and after WWII.
• Congressmen Urge Hearings on Violence Against Asians, page 1. Reps. Robert Matsui and Norman Mineta asked a House subcommittee chair to hold hearings on anti-Asian violence, citing a 62 percent increase in reported cases from 1984 to 1985. They cited the 1982 killing of Vincent Chin as a notorious example of the problem.
• JACL Reacts to INS Plan to Put Arabs in Detention Camp, by J.K. Yamamoto, page 1. JACL national director Ron Wakabayashi condemned an INS contingency plan to round up and detain Arab and Iranian immigrants, comparing it to the WWII internment of Japanese Americans. The plan included a detention facility in Oakdale, La., and was publicized after Palestinian and Kenyan detainees were targeted for deportation over alleged PLO ties.
• INS Document Details Detention Plan for Arabs and Iranians, page 2. A support group called Committee for Justice claims the FBI had no incriminating evidence against detained Palestinians and that their arrest was part of a broader contingency plan detailed in a 31-page INS document. The Pacific Southwest JACL District Council formed an ad hoc committee to study the matter ahead of an April hearing.

Community

• Teacher Continues Battle With School District, page 1. Arguments were heard in the ongoing civil suit of teacher Mitsue Takahashi against the Livingston Union School District over her 1980 firing, which she alleges was racially discriminatory. A judge is expected to rule within a month on the seven-year-old case.
• Mitsue Takahashi Case Continues, APAC Lends Support, page 2. The article details the history of Mitsue Takahashi’s dismissal case, including JACL’s 1982 resolution supporting her right to a fair hearing and controversy within the organization over local chapter opposition. Asian Pacific American Coalition USA has now offered support, with advocates calling the long legal battle inexcusable and overdue for resolution.
• Japanese American Studies Fellowship Offered at UCLA, page 2. UCLA’s Asian American Studies Center is offering a postdoctoral fellowship in Japanese American studies for 1987-88, funded by UCLA alumni and the Friends of the AJA Endowed Chair Program. The fellowship provides a stipend and access to research archives, with applications due March 31.
• JA Library Bulletin Available, page 2. The Japanese American Library in San Francisco released the first edition of its new quarterly publication, ‘Bulletin,’ available free by request. The eight-page publication summarizes news affecting Nikkei communities and lists upcoming events and research findings.
• Nikkei Newsmakers, page 5. Christine C. Iijima Hall was appointed director of the Office of Ethnic Minority Affairs for the American Psychological Association, Alan Furuta became the first Sansei to chair the Nisei Week Japanese Festival, and Eunice Sato was appointed to a new California task force by Gov. Deukmejian. Each newsmaker’s background and achievements are briefly noted.
• In Search Of… Kikue Kato, by Corrine Mason, page 5. A reader is seeking help locating a former high school friend, Kikue Kato, who graduated from Fremont High School in Oakland in 1942. The friend could not be located for a 40th class reunion in 1982.
• Diablo Valley Installs Officers, by Mei Nakano, page 6. Close to 100 members and friends of the Diablo Valley Chapter JACL gathered to install new officers for 1987, including Hannah Yasuda and Ben Fukutome as president. Keynote speaker Mollie Fujioka delivered her address, ‘JACL: What’s In It for Me?’, which received enthusiastic applause.
• Bay Area JA Seniors Plan Shinnen Kai, page 7. The Bay Area Japanese American Senior Centers coalition, representing 15 centers, will hold its annual Shinnen Kai on March 14 at Mountain View Buddhist Temple. New officers were elected at a January meeting, with Ichiro Nishida as president.
• Grace Presbyterian Church Moves to Paramount, page 7. After roughly 60 years at its Long Beach location, Grace Presbyterian Church (formerly Japanese Presbyterian Church) is relocating to Paramount. The first service at the new location will be held March 1.
• UC Students Can Apply for 1987-88 CJAA Scholarships, page 7. The California Japanese Alumni Association is offering scholarships and grants to continuing and returning UC students of Japanese ancestry for the 1987-88 academic year. Eight scholarships up to $2,000 and six $500 grants will be awarded based on academic achievement and community service, with an application deadline of March 15.
• S.F. State to Host Asian American Studies Conference, page 8. San Francisco State University’s Asian American Studies Department will host the fourth National Asian American Studies Conference on March 20-21, featuring over 50 scholars presenting on the theme ‘Asian Americans and Education.’ Sessions will also cover anti-Asian violence, institutional racism, and the ‘model minority’ stereotype.

Incarceration & Redress

• Sen. Wilson of California Is Co-Sponsor of Redress Bill, page 1. Sen. Pete Wilson became the latest co-sponsor of the redress bill Sen. Spark Matsunaga plans to introduce, bringing the Senate bill’s co-sponsors to 42. Matsunaga marked the 45th anniversary of Executive Order 9066 by urging colleagues to join the effort.
• Mineta Sets September Target Date for Redress Passage, by Robert Shimabukuro, page 1. At the Day of Remembrance observance in San Jose, Rep. Norman Mineta called prospects for redress ‘bright’ and hoped for passage by Sept. 17, 1987. The event honored WWII veterans and featured the film ‘Yankee Samurai’ about the 442nd Regimental Combat Team.
• Judge Solomon Remembered for Civil Liberties Work, page 3. Continuing coverage of Judge Gus Solomon’s life details his numerous awards, his tenure as chief judge of the District Court, and tributes from colleagues including Oregonian editor William Hilliard. Solomon is survived by his wife, three children, a sister, and three grandchildren.
• Senate Bill Gains Co-Sponsor Through Farmers League Lobbying, page 4. LEC executive director Grayce Uyehara credited the Nisei Farmers League, led by Harry Kubo, with influencing Sen. Pete Wilson’s decision to co-sponsor the redress bill. The bill will be formally introduced once it reaches 51 co-sponsors.

JACL

• Scholarships to Be Awarded to Aspiring Young Journalists, page 3. The Asian American Journalists Association is offering up to $15,000 in scholarships for high school and college students pursuing journalism careers. Applications are due April 14, with finalists interviewed by a panel from major news organizations.
• Plans Already Being Made for ’88 Convention, by Harry Honda, page 3. Pacific Northwest District regional director Tim Otani outlined plans for the 1988 JACL biennial convention at the University of Washington, including workshops, youth events, and housing arrangements at Haggett Residence Hall. The convention will run through a condensed schedule spanning five days in August 1988.
• Chapter President’s Handbook Revived, page 4. JACL has revived its Chapter President’s Handbook after a 10-year hiatus, covering topics such as resolutions, committees, membership, and media relations. The update was produced by Carole Hayashino with assistance from Yosh Nakashima, Harry Honda, and Ron Wakabayashi.
• Wakabayashi Named to Student Aid Commission Post, page 6. Assembly Speaker Willie Brown appointed JACL national director Ron Wakabayashi to California’s Student Aid Commission, which administers student assistance programs. Wakabayashi also serves on other coalitions including Californians United and the Asian American Task Force on UC Berkeley Admissions.
• JACL Explores Ways to Attract Members, by Harry Honda, page 8. JACL’s National Board reviewed results of a direct-mail membership campaign with SRS Group Consultants that netted 1,141 new members and over $55,000 in revenue, and approved a second mailing to 100,000 more Nikkei households. The board also discussed strategies including upgrading membership categories, targeting Sansei members, and implementing an automated renewal system.

Commentary

• Nikkei View: Giving Back to the Asian American Community, page 4. The columnist reflects on why they prioritize supporting Asian American causes and institutions over other charitable appeals, arguing that if Asian Americans do not support their own community’s needs, no one else will. The author recounts personal efforts in a former judicial role to promote hiring and inclusion of Asian Americans.
• A Column on Aches, Weather, and a Woodworkers’ Exercise Video, by Bob Shimabukuro, page 4. The columnist muses on the delayed nature of writing for a newspaper read weeks later, Portland weather, and his return to manual labor causing sore muscles. He jokingly proposes a ‘woodworkers’ exercise video’ before concluding he feels better than he has in a long time.
• The Continuing PC Saga: A Brief Synopsis, by J.K. Yamamoto, page 4. The author explains the confusing series of personnel changes at Pacific Citizen since 1983, tracing the editor and assistant editor roles through several transitions. The position of editor is once again open, with the author among those eligible to apply.
• JACL: What’s In It for Me?, by Mollie Fujioka, page 5. NCWNP District governor Mollie Fujioka reflects on her extensive JACL responsibilities and explains why she remains committed, citing the organization’s track record on redress, civil rights, coalition-building, and reinforcing ethnic identity. She describes JACL’s network of members as invaluable to her family and encourages others to join.
• Letters to the Editor: J-Town Homeless Shelter, by Walter Tatsuno, page 5. A Los Angeles reader responds to coverage of Little Tokyo’s opposition to a proposed homeless shelter, describing the decades-long struggle of Japanese Americans to rebuild the district after internment. He argues that the presence of street people has tarnished the area’s image and calls on government to relocate them elsewhere.

Military & Veterans

• San Jose Day of Remembrance Honors 442nd Veterans, page 4. The San Jose Day of Remembrance program included a screening of ‘Yankee Samurai,’ a film about Polish Jewish refugee filmmaker Katriel Schory’s connection to the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. The event was sponsored by the Nihonmachi Outreach Committee, NJAHS/GFB, and San Jose JACL.

Arts & Entertainment

• Local Nikkei to Show Off Their Talent at Benefit for JCCCNC, page 7. A fund-raiser called ‘J-Town Revue’ featuring three generations of Nikkei performers will benefit the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California on March 21. The show, held at the newly opened AMC Kabuki 8 Theater, will feature singers, dancers, and a children’s chorus.
• JA Writes Book on Race in U.S., page 8. UC Berkeley lecturer Michael Omi and co-author Howard Winant published ‘Racial Formation in the United States,’ examining changes in racial identity and politics from the 1960s to 1980s. Omi will discuss the book at Cody’s Books in Berkeley on March 5.

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