Vol. 129, No. 4, July 23, 1999. 8 pages. View this issue
The debate over wartime resisters of conscience continued in this eight-page issue. Caroline Aoyagi reported on discussions within JACL districts about resolutions on the resisters, including a Mountain Plains District Council resolution that was tabled while a new one was drafted. Her article also followed a woman’s visits to the former Topaz camp site in Utah, where her family’s barrack once stood, and described how those trips helped her come to terms with the World War II incarceration (often called internment).
Elsewhere, Martha Nakagawa gathered Nisei alumni of Roosevelt High School in East Los Angeles, who looked back on the school’s 75th anniversary and its mix of students. The JACL page covered a youth conference at UC Irvine and district updates. Page 8 turned to a Sonoma County chapter history workshop and a Japanese American National Museum exhibition of paintings by Hisako Hibi, made while she was held at Topaz.
What’s in this issue
Incarceration & Redress
- The Debate on the Resisters of Conscience Continues, by Caroline Aoyagi, page 1. An article examines ongoing debate within JACL districts over resolutions addressing wartime draft resisters of conscience, with discussion of a tabled MPDC resolution. The piece also follows a woman’s emotional visits to the former Topaz camp site where her family’s barrack once stood, describing her personal journey toward reconciling with her internment experience.
Community
- Nikkei Help Celebrate Roosevelt High’s 75th Anniversary, by Martha Nakagawa, page 3. Nisei alumni of Roosevelt High School in East Los Angeles reminisce about their experiences at the school, recalling its diverse student body and relative lack of racial discrimination compared to other schools of the era. Former students describe the school’s supportive environment, notable teachers, and the legacy of interracial friendships that shaped their lives after the war.
JACL
- Updates from the JACL National Board, Districts, by P.C. Staff, page 4. A recap of JACL national activities including a youth conference at UC Irvine attended by 85 young people and ongoing efforts by a coalition including JACL to oppose a Senate confirmation. The report also covers a youth workshop titled ‘Getting Youth Involved’ and discussions on membership and fundraising challenges facing local chapters.
In-Depth
- Sonoma County Chapter Shares Wartime Experiences at Workshop, by P.C. Staff, page 8. A history workshop featured panelists from the Sonoma County JACL chapter recounting prewar Japanese American community life, including thriving businesses, temples, and social halls before World War II internment. Panelists shared personal stories of family hardship, wartime relocation, and teaching in the camps, including one man’s reflection on being drafted from camp to fight for the country that had imprisoned him.
Arts & Entertainment
- A Process of Reflection: Paintings by Hisako Hibi, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The Japanese American National Museum presents a new exhibition devoted to the art and life of Issei painter Hisako Hibi, featuring oil-on-canvas works created during her internment at an assembly center and the Topaz concentration camp in Utah during World War II. The exhibit also includes later works from her life after the war.
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