The 1998 JACL convention in Philadelphia and the Redress History Project

Vol. 127, No. 2, July 17, 1998. 12 pages. View this issue

The 35th biennial JACL national convention in Philadelphia filled the front page. Caroline Y. Aoyagi reported that the national council approved the Redress History Project after much debate, with a cost of about $323,000 over three years. She also covered the 10th anniversary of the Civil Liberties Act, where Norman Mineta reflected on signing it, and the reelection of Helen Kawagoe as president. Aoyagi herself was named the paper’s new executive editor.

Other convention stories include the Min Yasui Oratorical Contest, the awards luncheon, a dialogue with past national presidents and the resolutions the council approved. Elsewhere, Bill Hosokawa wrote about Denver honoring Min Yasui, Harry K. Honda reported on a Topaz camp reunion, and Mika Tanner continued her Shin-Issei series. A look at the closing of the Office of Redress Administration is also inside.

What’s in this issue

JACL

• Redress History Project Wins National Council Approval, by Caroline Y. Aoyagi, page 1. After much debate, the JACL Redress History Project won national council approval at the biennial convention held in Philadelphia. The project, expected to cost approximately $323,000 over three years, aims to document JACL’s role in the historic redress movement rather than let others tell the story.
• A 10th-Anniversary Celebration of the CLA Includes a Look Towards the Future, by Caroline Y. Aoyagi, page 1. The 35th biennial JACL national convention in Philadelphia celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Civil Liberties Act along with ongoing redress issues for railroad workers and Japanese Latin Americans. Former Congressman Norman Mineta reflected on signing the historic legislation and its significance for Japanese Americans.
• Aoyagi Named New P.C. Executive Editor, page 1. After a two-year search, Caroline Aoyagi was named the new executive editor of the Pacific Citizen newspaper. She had served as acting executive editor for six months prior, after previously working as assistant editor.
• National Officers Reelected to Offices, page 1. Most of the national JACL board was reelected with a generally high rate of approval at the convention. Helen Kawagoe was reelected president, and other officers including Lori Fujii, Gary Mayeda, Karen-Liane Shiba, and David Kenji Hayashi retained their positions, while Rick Uno chose not to re-run for v.p. of general operations.
• Suzanne Itami of Utah Wins Min Yasui Oratorical Contest, page 3. Suzanne Itami, a 16-year-old aspiring lawyer and youth representative of the Salt Lake City Chapter, won the Min Yasui Oratorical Contest speaking on the year 2000 census and its effects. Nathan Watanabe took second place speaking on media portrayal of Asian Americans, with other participants receiving certificates and cash prizes.
• Allan Hida Awarded JACLer of the Biennium at the National Convention’s Awards Luncheon, page 3. Allan Hida was honored as JACLer of the Biennium for his service including roles as chapter president, district governor, and member of the Wisconsin Governor’s staff. Other awards presented included the Edison Uno Memorial Civil Rights Award to Susan Fay Strauss and the George Inagaki Chapter of the Biennium Award to the SELANOCO Chapter.
• A Dialogue With Past JACL National Presidents, page 3. A distinguished panel of past JACL national presidents shared their thoughts on the organization’s future during the Philadelphia convention. Topics included youth involvement, leadership across generations, and civil rights advocacy, with comments from Hank Tanaka, Pat Okura, Lillian Kimura, Denny Yasuhara, Raymond Uno, and Helen Kawagoe.
• Philadelphia Convention Resolutions, page 4. The national council of JACL approved numerous resolutions at the Philadelphia convention covering topics including recognition of Chiune Sugihara, support for the United Nations, the Bill Lann Lee nomination, opposition to Washington State’s Civil Rights Initiative 200, and a boycott of Obachine restaurant. Other resolutions addressed ethnic studies preservation, chapter rebates, and civil rights activism.
• JACL’s Program for Action, 1998-2000, page 4. JACL outlined its program for action for 1998-2000, emphasizing protection of civil and human rights for all Americans and elimination of stereotypes affecting Japanese Americans and other ethnic groups. The program also addresses JACL’s future including programs for youth, students, and young adults.
• July 1 Nat’l Board Meeting Motions, page 5. The national board approved several motions including extending John Tateishi’s contract through settlement of the Japanese Latin American cases, and various financial and administrative matters. The board also moved into executive session to discuss further matters.

In-Depth

• The Newest Shin-Issei, by Mika Tanner, page 1. Special to the Pacific Citizen writer Mika Tanner continues her series on the Shin-Issei community, profiling Satomi Matsuura, a Japanese transferee living in Los Angeles. Matsuura describes the challenges of adjusting to American life, gender constraints in Japan, and her evolving identity between two cultures.

Incarceration & Redress

• A Celebration of Redress at the Philadelphia National Convention, page 5. The convention celebrated the redress movement’s history, noting that Japanese Latin American internees received less compensation than Japanese Americans under the Civil Liberties Act. Many JLA internees expressed disappointment with the settlement amount while acknowledging the significance of receiving an apology.
• Redress History Project Aims to Tell JACL Story, page 5. The Redress History Project committee argued that JACL needs to tell its own story about the redress movement rather than letting others dictate the narrative. Members wanted assurance that the entire JACL redress story would be told, not just the story of the Legislative Education Committee.
• Redress—Past, Present, and Future, page 8. As the Office of Redress Administration prepares to close on August 10, the article examines the ongoing settlement negotiations for Japanese Latin American internees and reflects on the broader significance of the redress movement. John Tateishi, Robert Bratt, and Bill Lann Lee are quoted discussing the challenges of achieving full justice and the importance of continued education through initiatives like California’s AB 1915.
• Topaz Camp Reunion and Fresno JACL’s 75th Anniversary, by Harry K. Honda, page 10. Harry Honda recounts attending the final Topaz Camp reunion in San Jose and Fresno JACL’s 75th anniversary party, describing presentations on the WWII experiences of Japanese communities in Canada, Mexico, Peru, and Australia. Speakers included Dr. Midge Ayukawa, Arturo Shibayama, and Evelyn Suzuki, who shared personal accounts of internment and displacement during the war.

Commentary

• Mentors, Where Can You Be?, by Mika Tanner, page 8. Mika Tanner writes about generational tension in the Japanese American community, describing how young leaders are often undermined rather than mentored by older generation members reluctant to pass the torch. She argues the community needs to revisit the concept of kodomo no tame ni and better support younger generations transitioning into leadership roles.
• Denver Honors Min Yasui, by Bill Hosokawa, page 8. Bill Hosokawa writes about Denver honoring civil rights icon Minoru Yasui, detailing his history of civil disobedience against the WWII curfew order and his subsequent nine months in solitary confinement. Yasui became a prominent Denver community leader, serving on the Denver Community Relations Commission and being profiled as one of Colorado’s greatest lawyers.
• Letters to the Editor: Re: Shin-Issei Series, by Yoshiko Meda, page 9. Yoshiko Meda, a Shin-Issei living in Ohio, responds to Mika Tanner’s article on Shin-Issei and JA relations, emphasizing the need to focus on commonalities rather than differences. She discusses the importance of Asian unity in the Midwest and her work organizing the Japan-America Society in Northeast Ohio.
• Letters to the Editor: Film Review Response, by H. Nishikawa, page 9. A reader from Pennsylvania comments on the scarcity of Asian American films reaching mainstream audiences outside the West Coast and Hawaii, referencing Mika Tanner’s balanced review of the film Hundred Percent. The writer notes that films like Picture Bride were largely confined to art house theaters.
• Letters to the Editor: A Fan Letter, page 9. A longtime reader writes a fan letter praising the Pacific Citizen as a forum for diverse writers and readers despite the ongoing vacancy for an editor position. The writer appreciates the paper’s mosaic of differing opinions and encourages readers to reflect on their differences while safeguarding democracy.
• Constitution, Law & Justice, by Bill Marutani, page 10. Bill Marutani examines historical phone call transcripts from July 13, 1942, involving Bendetsen and Col. Tate discussing the implementation of wartime policies against Japanese Americans. The column provides insight into the bureaucratic decision-making process behind the internment order.

Obituaries

• Nellie Hatsuko Furubayashi, page 11. Nellie Hatsuko Furubayashi, 86, of Reedley, California, died June 10. She was a retired elementary school teacher in Parlier and a longtime Sunday school teacher and volunteer at community ministries in Reedley.
• Ronald Hatsuo Takeuchi, page 11. Ronald Hatsuo Takeuchi, 59, of Richmond, California, died May 29. A Reno native, he was active in the Boy Scouts of America, Contra Costa JACL, and Berkeley Methodist United Church.
• George Eiichi Kondo, page 11. George Eiichi Kondo, 84, of State College, Pennsylvania, passed away July 6. Born in Berkeley, he was a founder of the California Japanese American Alumni Association and served as JACL’s NCWNP Regional Director, playing an instrumental role in the fight for redress.

Community

• CLPEF to Publish Annotated Bibliography, page 12. The Civil Liberties Public Education Fund is preparing an annotated bibliography of Japanese American redress sources before it terminates on August 10. Dr. Rita Takahashi of San Francisco State University is compiling the bibliography and is asking the public to help inventory and describe redress-related items in private collections.

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