Vol. 113, No. 1, July 5, 1991. 12 pages. View this issue
Mike Masaoka’s death on June 26 filled most of this 12-page issue. Harry K. Honda, senior editor, wrote a lengthy tribute that followed Masaoka’s life from his roots as a Nisei through the 1942 Evacuation and his service with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. It also covered his years as JACL’s Washington representative and the Civil Liberties Act signing of 1988. Bill Hosokawa wrote that Masaoka’s achievements were monumental, and tributes came from Sen. Daniel Inouye, Rep. Robert Matsui, Rep. Norman Mineta and K. Patrick Okura.
The news pages carried other stories. Illinois Gov. Jim Edgar ordered affirmative action goals to include Asian Americans and Native Americans, and the Illinois House voted 117-0 for a bill protecting redress recipients’ public assistance. The Manzanar Committee organized to counter opposition to a national historic site, and a California bill took aim at alcohol and drug abuse among Asian Pacific Islanders.
What’s in this issue
National
- Illinois Governor Orders Affirmative Action Goals for Asian Americans and Native Americans, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Illinois Gov. Jim Edgar directed state agencies to include Asian Americans and Native Americans in fiscal year 1992 affirmative action plans alongside African Americans, Hispanics and women. A follow-up story revealed the state had lacked such requirements previously, and the governor’s office pledged training sessions to implement the new procedures.
- Bill to Protect Redress Passes Illinois House, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Illinois House of Representatives passed a bill by a vote of 117-0 to protect redress recipients from losing state and local public assistance and to shield redress payments from garnishment or attachment. The Asian American Bar Association and the Chicago Chapter, JACL, both supported the legislation.
- California Assembly Bill Targets Asian Pacific Islander Alcohol and Drug Abuse, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The California State Assembly passed a bill authored by Xavier Becerra requiring the Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs to track Asian Pacific Islander alcohol and drug abuse programs and demonstration projects. The bill also calls for continued funding of programs that serve the Asian Pacific Islander community, which until now has been funded mainly through pilot projects.
Incarceration & Redress
- Group Organizes to Fight Foe of Manzanar Bill, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Manzanar Committee is appealing to the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, which may prevent Manzanar from becoming a national historic site despite years of work with the National Park Service and Inyo County officials. City council member Ruth Galanter introduced a measure urging DWP to cooperate fully with the federal government to make Manzanar available at minimum cost as soon as possible.
- Masaoka and JACL’s Wartime Leadership During Evacuation, by Harry K. Honda, page 2. This continuation piece details the chaotic events of early 1942, including the Tolan Committee hearings, JACL’s Emergency Conference in San Francisco, and the difficult decision for ‘constructive cooperation’ with the government during the Evacuation. It describes Masaoka’s role delivering JACL testimony and the wrenching impact of forced removal on Japanese American communities.
- Masaoka’s Legislative Achievements: Evacuation Claims and Deportation Relief, by Harry K. Honda, page 3. This section details the Japanese American Evacuation Claims Act of 1948, which authorized adjudication of property loss claims from the wartime evacuation, resulting in over $36 million paid out by 1958. It also covers the Suspension of Deportation Act of 1948, which regularized the status of thousands of Japanese who had lost immigration status due to the war.
Commentary
- Mike Masaoka: The ‘Go For Broke’ Guy, by Harry K. Honda, page 1. Senior editor Harry Honda offers a lengthy tribute detailing Mike Masaoka’s 60-year public life as a champion of Japanese Americans, from his roots as a Nisei through his work during the WWII evacuation and beyond. The piece traces his early activism with JACL, his advocacy for Nisei military service, and his lasting influence on the Japanese American community.
- Congressional Leaders Pay Tribute to Mike Masaoka, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Members of Congress including Sen. Daniel Inouye, Rep. Robert Matsui, Rep. Norman Mineta, Rep. Patsy Mink, and Rep. Don Edwards offered personal tributes to Masaoka following his death, praising his lifelong civil rights advocacy. The statements emphasize his courage during wartime hysteria and his decades-long fight for justice for Japanese Americans.
- JACL Leaders and Colleagues Remember Masaoka as Mentor and Friend, by P.C. Staff, page 5. JACL colleagues including K. Patrick Okura shared personal reflections on working alongside Masaoka for decades, crediting his vision for the success of the redress campaign culminating in the 1988 Civil Liberties Act. Tributes describe him as a mentor, friend, and tireless advocate whose leadership shaped the organization’s direction for half a century.
- Business Community and International Figures Honor Masaoka, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Representatives from Toyota Motor Sales, Bank of Tokyo, JETRO, and the Japanese government offered condolences praising Masaoka’s contributions to U.S.-Japan relations and Japanese American business interests. The tributes note his role as a bridge between American and Japanese communities and his advocacy for fair treatment across decades.
- Achievements Were Monumental, by Bill Hosokawa, page 8. Columnist Bill Hosokawa reflects on Masaoka’s monumental achievements, arguing that historical revisionists unfairly judge his wartime decisions with the benefit of hindsight. He credits Masaoka’s leadership in demanding Nisei military service rights and his decades of advocacy work that shaped America’s civil rights landscape.
- Very Truly Yours: Remembering Mike, by Harry K. Honda, page 8. Senior editor Harry Honda shares personal memories of Mike Masaoka, including learning of his nickname ‘Moses’ and recalling encounters going back to before Pearl Harbor. The piece includes reflections from Saburo Kido on Masaoka’s early role in JACL and his understanding of Nisei citizenship.
Military & Veterans
- Masaoka and the 442nd: Wartime Service and Legislative Legacy, by Harry K. Honda, page 3. The article recounts Masaoka’s volunteering for the 442nd Regimental Combat Team alongside three brothers, and his subsequent role as JACL’s Washington representative starting in 1946. It details his legislative scorecard, including the Walter-McCarran Act of 1952 which extended naturalization rights to Issei and repealed the Japanese Exclusion Act of 1924.
In-Depth
- Masaoka Milestones: A Timeline of Achievement, by P.C. Staff, page 4. This timeline chronicles Mike Masaoka’s life from his 1915 birth in Fresno through his death in 1991, listing key dates including his marriage, military service, legislative victories, and honors received. It includes his work on the Walter-McCarran Act, the 1965 Immigration Act, and his role in the redress campaign culminating in the 1988 Civil Liberties Act signing.
- Masaoka’s Later Years: From Title II Repeal to Redress Signing, by Harry K. Honda, page 9. The article covers Masaoka’s continued advocacy in the 1970s, including testimony for repeal of Title II of the Internal Security Act and his transition of the JACL Washington representative role to David Ushio. It describes his declining health in later years but his continued involvement, including attending the 1988 redress bill signing despite illness.
- Masaoka’s First Trip to Japan and Reflections on the Evacuation Claims Act, by Harry K. Honda, page 9. The piece recounts Masaoka’s emotional first visit to his ancestral family plot in a Hiroshima cemetery in 1952 with his wife Etsu. It also reflects on his view of the Evacuation Claims Act as a valuable lesson in legislative drafting and his broader philosophy of working through Congress rather than personal credit.
Obituaries
- Mike Masaoka Survived by Wife Etsu and Family, by P.C. Staff, page 9. The article notes that Mike Masaoka had lived in Chevy Chase, Maryland with his wife Etsu Mineta since 1956, and details his adopted children Marsha and Michael. Surviving relatives include his wife, children, and a sister, Kiyoko Ito, in Chicago.
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