Kooskia camp dig, Norman Mineta’s portrait and the Pacific Citizen’s future

Vol. 151, No. 3, August 6, 2010. 16 pages. View this issue

An archaeological dig at the former Kooskia camp in Idaho, where 265 Japanese immigrant men worked from 1943 to 1945, led the news, written by Nalea J. Ko. A portrait of Norman Mineta was hung in the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery, and the Texas State Board of Education voted to teach the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and Executive Order 9066. Columns by Harry K. Honda and John Tateishi covered the Chicago JACL convention and the debate over moving the Pacific Citizen to San Francisco.

Readers wrote in on that same debate, and the paper announced its digital archives of 1929 to 1943 issues. Other pages covered Heart Mountain, Go for Broke at Ellis Island, Angel Island’s 100th anniversary, a profile of ukulele player Brittni Paiva, and Edward Chen’s judicial nomination.

What’s in this issue

Commentary

• Lewis Suzuki Art Lover, page 2. A reader recounts buying a seascape painting from artist Lewis Suzuki decades ago in Union Square, San Francisco. After reading the Pacific Citizen article about Suzuki, she says the painting now holds special meaning and will be kept with the article to honor her Nisei/Kibei parents’ legacy.
• Readers Can Now Access Pacific Citizen Archives, by Caroline Aoyagi-Stom, page 2. The Pacific Citizen has launched digital archives on its website featuring issues from 1929 to 1943, made possible by a California Civil Liberties Public Education Program grant. JACL members and subscribers can access the archives using their membership number and a shared password, with plans to digitize 1944-1955 issues next.
• Nisei Vets Stamp, by Leo H. Hosoda, page 2. A WWII and Korean War veteran commends JACL delegates for opposing a commemorative stamp resolution that could have detracted from honoring Nisei WWII veterans. He argues the intended stamp would honor those who volunteered from relocation camps despite losing their possessions, and hopes JACL will use its influence to support recognition of these overlooked patriots.
• Pacific Citizen Connects Communities, by Mary S. Yano Fujimoto, page 2. A longtime JACL member from San Diego expresses concern over reports that the national board might move the Pacific Citizen to the Bay Area and publish it electronically, stating she would leave JACL if that happens. She recalls the paper as her only link to the Japanese American community while living in New York and praises its new format and articles.
• Chicago Confab, by Harry K. Honda, page 8. Columnist Harry Honda reflects on attending his 33rd biennial JACL national convention in Chicago, noting the pleasant weather, a mix of old-timers and a growing number of Sansei and Yonsei delegates. He recounts encounters with numerous JACL figures including four past national presidents and notes plans to write about a workshop on multiracial and multi-ethnic identity.
• The P.C. Debate, by John Tateishi, page 8. Former JACL National Director John Tateishi discusses the history and financial challenges behind proposals to move Pacific Citizen operations to San Francisco headquarters, tracing the issue back to budget cuts after the 2000 NASDAQ collapse. He explains how the P.C. was redesignated from an entitled budget item to a program under the national director’s control, and expresses concern over how the recent convention’s budget debate over the paper’s fate was handled.

JACL

• Consider Supporting the National JACL Gala, by Floyd Mori, page 2. JACL National Director Floyd Mori previews the fourth annual National JACL Gala scheduled for Sept. 16 in Washington, D.C., which raises funds for the organization’s work. He describes the event’s history, this year’s honorees including Sen. Dianne Feinstein and Etsu Mineta Masaoka, and encourages members to support the gala.

National

• APA Fishermen Face Uncertain Future After Gulf Oil Spill, by Nalea J. Ko, page 3. Vietnamese American fishermen in the Gulf region face an uncertain future even after Louisiana reopened some waters to commercial fishing following the BP oil spill. Community advocates say fishermen, many of whom make up an estimated one-third of the region’s licensed fishing workforce, are struggling with claims processes, predatory lawyers, and the prospect of years of environmental damage.
• APAs Call Attention to Edward Chen’s Year-long Judicial Nomination, by Nalea J. Ko, page 5. Asian Pacific Americans are urging action on Magistrate Judge Edward Chen’s stalled nomination to the federal bench, marking one year since President Obama nominated him. Chen, part of the legal team that overturned Fred Korematsu’s WWII conviction, faces opposition from Senate Republicans over his ACLU work, while supporters including JACL and Sen. Harry Reid push for his confirmation.
• Ariz. Gov. Considers Changes to SB 1070, by Pacific Citizen Staff and Associated Press, page 6. A federal appeals court declined to expedite review of Arizona’s immigration law until November, after a district court blocked several controversial provisions including required immigration status checks. APA civil rights groups, including JACL, hailed the injunction as a victory while continuing to challenge SB 1070 as likely to lead to racial profiling.
• JACL Wants Investigation Into Beating Death, page 6. JACL is urging New Jersey prosecutors to fully investigate the beating death of Divyendu Sinha, a South Asian scientist attacked with his sons near their Old Bridge home. JACL Midwest Director Bill Yoshino pressed for hate crime charges, citing rising ethnic tension as South Asian populations grow in the area.
• National Newsbytes, by Pacific Citizen Staff and the Associated Press, page 6. A roundup of national news briefs covers the House-approved study of Wyoming’s Heart Mountain Relocation Camp for National Historic Site status, Senate passage of Congressional Gold Medal legislation for Japanese American WWII soldiers, a Hawaii lawsuit for gay couples’ equal rights, a bill granting burial rights to Hmong veterans, California recognition of Italian American internment, and criticism of UC Irvine’s ban on a Muslim student group.
• APAs in the News, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 7. This roundup highlights several Asian Pacific American achievements: Daphne Kwok’s appointment to chair the President’s Advisory Commission on AAPIs, Tani Cantil-Sakauye’s nomination as California’s first APA chief justice, new NJAMF leadership, Minami Tamaki LLP’s Super Lawyers honors, and Hawaii Rep. Mark Takai’s National Medal of Civic Honor for serving while deployed.
• Smithsonian Museum Hangs Portrait of Mineta, by P.C. Staff and Associated Press, page 7. A portrait of former Cabinet Secretary Norman Mineta was installed in the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery permanent collection, honoring his historic career as the first APA cabinet member. Mineta, who was interned during WWII, later became San Jose’s first APA mayor, served 20 years in Congress, and helped pass the Civil Liberties Act of 1988.
• APA Officer is Discharged Under ‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell’, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 7. Lt. Dan Choi, an Arabic-language specialist and Iraq War veteran, was honorably discharged from the Army under Don’t Ask Don’t Tell after publicly coming out as gay. Choi has become a prominent activist, previously chaining himself to the White House fence in protest and vowing to continue fighting the policy.
• Virginia Senator Calls for End to Diversity Programs, by Bob Lewis, AP Political Writer, page 7. Sen. Jim Webb wrote an op-ed calling for ending government-run diversity programs, arguing they have marginalized white workers and mainly benefit new immigrants rather than their intended African American beneficiaries. The column revives sensitivities around race that helped Webb win his Senate seat in 2006 amid a controversy involving a racial slur.
• Angel Island Commemorates 100th Anniversary of Immigration Station, page 10. The Angel Island Immigration Station, known as the Ellis Island of the West, marked its 100th anniversary on July 31 with events highlighting the diverse immigrant experiences there, including Japanese picture brides. The Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation shared stories like that of Dick Jiro Kobashigawa, who arrived from Okinawa in 1931, as part of a centennial campaign to honor ancestors and fund further storytelling.
• Ellis Island to Dedicate ‘Go For Broke’ Exhibit, page 10. The Ellis Island Immigration Museum is unveiling a new exhibit on Aug. 8 chronicling Japanese American soldiers of the 100th Battalion, 442nd RCT, and Military Intelligence Service during WWII. Curator Eric Saul created the exhibit featuring 150 rare photographs, with JACL and JAVA participating in dedication ceremonies hosted by actor George Takei.
• JA Leaders Win Battle Over Texas Curriculum, by Dr. Abbie Grubb, page 13. Houston-area Japanese American community leaders successfully lobbied the Texas State Board of Education to include the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and Executive Order 9066 in state history curriculum standards after testifying at a public hearing. The board unanimously voted to include this history, distinguishing the unconstitutional internment of Japanese Americans from the legal detention of German and Italian enemy aliens.

In-Depth

• Kooskia’s Japanese Roots, by Nalea J. Ko, page 4. An archaeological team is excavating Idaho’s former Kooskia internment camp, where 265 Japanese immigrant men volunteered to work from 1943 to 1945, uncovering a concrete foundation possibly linked to internee housing. Researchers hope findings on gardening practices will help compare Kooskia, a volunteer INS camp, with more restrictive camps like Amache.

Arts & Entertainment

• Brittni Paiva Takes Ukulele to the World’s Stage, by Nalea J. Ko, page 9. Ukulele virtuoso Brittni Paiva discusses staying true to her conservative values despite past pressure to dress more provocatively on stage, and the July release of her fourth album, ‘Four Strings: The Fire Within.’ The 21-year-old, introduced to the ukulele by her grandfather, has won multiple Hawaii music awards and balances her music career with a love of drag racing and college studies.

Community

• Film Boosts ‘Lost Battalion’ Memorial Project, page 11. Three Northern California JACL chapters are raising $150,000 to complete a bronze memorial statue in Roseville commemorating the 442nd RCT’s rescue of the Lost Battalion, having already collected over $63,000. The campaign included a June 24 premiere of the documentary ‘Valor With Honor’ featuring interviews with 442nd veterans who attended the event.
• CCLPEP Grant Recipients Announced, page 11. California’s State Librarian announced 25 grant recipients for the 2009-2010 California Civil Liberties Public Education Program, including $20,000 for the Pacific Citizen to continue digitizing its historical archive. The program, stemming from a 1998 act sponsored by Mike Honda, funds projects preserving the history of Japanese American internment during WWII.
• JANM to Look Back at Heart Mountain Barracks, page 12. The Japanese American National Museum is hosting an Aug. 7 program reflecting on its 1994 project bringing an original Heart Mountain internment camp barrack to Los Angeles, including a screening of the documentary ‘Legacy of the Barracks.’ Dozens of volunteers had reassembled the barrack in a parking lot near the museum as part of an exhibition on America’s concentration camps.
• Southern Calif. Youth Leadership Program Calls for Participants, page 12. The Nikkei Federation is seeking participants for its eighth annual Rising Stars Youth Leadership Program, a leadership and cultural education program for high school students running from November 2010 through April 2011 in Little Tokyo. The program teaches leadership skills, community service, and Japanese American history through workshops led by professional trainers.
• Project: Community! Culmination Event Set for Aug. 24, page 12. The JACL Pacific Southwest District will celebrate the conclusion of its third year of Project: Community!, a youth advocacy program, with a Culmination event at the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center. Seventeen high school students will showcase projects focused on the significance of the Little Tokyo community developed through the program’s workshops.
• Fundraising Continues for Merced Memorial, page 13. Although the Merced Assembly Center Memorial is complete, the Livingston-Merced JACL chapter continues fundraising for educational components including a documentary with segments on internment, Redress, and post-9/11 parallels. The chapter’s memorial efforts earned them second place in JACL’s Chapter of the Biennium competition, featuring a bronze suitcase sculpture and Wall of Names honoring 4,669 former prisoners.

Obituaries

• Mark J. Matsushima, page 15. Mark J. Matsushima, 44, an Air Force Colonel and veteran of Desert Shield and Desert Storm, died on July 16, 2010. He served as Chief of 8th Air Force Commander’s Action Group and completed four tours in the Middle East.
• Miyeko Rautenberg, 84, page 15. Miyeko Rautenberg, born in Tooele, Utah to Issei parents, spent her high school years interned at the Gila River camp in Arizona before earning a degree from UC Berkeley. She worked for ABAG and the National Housing Law Project and is survived by her husband, children, and grandchildren.
• John Sakayama, page 15. John Sakayama, a longtime Denver resident, passed away July 29, 2010 at age 88. He was a past president of the Mile-Hi JACL and a JAMBA Hall of Fame member, elected in 2004.

Sports

• Jeremy Lin Hopes to Break Stereotypes with the Golden State Warriors, by P.C. Staff and Associated Press, page 16. Harvard graduate Jeremy Lin signed as an undrafted free agent with the Golden State Warriors, becoming the first Chinese American Ivy Leaguer in the NBA, drawing significant attention from the Asian American community. Lin, a Palo Alto native, hopes his achievement helps break stereotypes about Asians and Ivy League players in professional basketball.

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.