Vol. 83, No. 4, July 23, 1976. 4 pages. View this issue
Racist notes left in a Seattle student’s locker led the news. A Japanese American girl elected junior high student body vice president found a threatening note and was later struck by a white man. The school kept the episode secret until the last day of the term, and Eira Nagaoka reported on it. Alongside it, the paper covered the JACL national convention: scholarship awards, the debate over the Development Office, and the National Council’s resolutions. Harry K. Honda and Wayne Horiuchi wrote about the convention and the biennium ahead.
Also inside: Minnesota’s MIS Day, plans for the Nisei veterans reunion in Chicago, and relief for Teton Dam flood victims. Bill Hosokawa wrote about returning to Korea, and he and Barry Saiki looked at how Japan covered the Bicentennial.
What’s in this issue
National
- Judge Uno hears trial in Seattle school racial harassment case, by Eira Nagaoka, page 1. A Seattle Japanese American student elected junior high student body vice president received racist threatening notes and was physically assaulted by a white man after the election. The school kept the episode secret until the last day of the school year, prompting complaints from Asian organizations.
Military & Veterans
- Minnesota marks MIS Day, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Minnesota Governor Wendell Anderson proclaimed July 18 as MIS Day to honor veterans who studied at the Military Intelligence Service Language School. Veterans and reunion organizers attended the ceremony.
- Nisei vets to hear Rumsfeld at Chicago reunion grand finale, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Senator Daniel Inouye and Mike Masaoka will host the Nisei Veterans Reunion in Chicago on July 25, featuring Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld as speaker. The weekend events include an all-star football game, a buffet, a Bicentennial luncheon, and a parade.
JACL
- JACL national scholarship awards announced, by P.C. Staff, page 1. JACL awarded 14 scholarships totaling $5,950 in 1976, with additional graduate and student awards. Delegates discussed expanding scholarships for deserving low-income students.
- 3rd day highlights: Reports, resolutions and Development Office debate, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Delegates debated the JACL Development Office’s effectiveness, the rejected Manjiro Associates fundraising plan, and staff-board roles. The Council adopted the Development committee report and reviewed the Ad Hoc Committee’s proposals on organizational restructuring.
- National Council narrative: Convention proceedings and resolutions, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The National Council considered Development, organizational restructuring, Convention procedures, health insurance guidelines, and multiple resolutions including Iva Toguri pardon support and Endowment Fund issues. Delegates approved many measures while referring others to committee.
Incarceration & Redress
- Congress passes flood relief for Teton Dam victims including Japanese Americans, by P.C. Staff, page 1. President Ford signed a $9.5 billion public works bill including $200 million for Teton Dam flood victims, many of whom are Japanese Americans. JACL launched a Disaster Relief Fund and urged the federal government to provide relief.
Community
- JAYs may change name to AAYs as Twin Cities convention nears, by P.C. Staff, page 1. JACL’s youth division plans its biennial convention in St. Paul, Minnesota in August, with social events and a proposed name change to Asian American Youths. The name change reflects the group’s growing non-Japanese Asian membership.
- Mid-Columbia JACL awards scholarships, by Mits Takasumi, page 3. The Mid-Columbia JACL chapter distributed $1,100 in scholarships to four high school graduates funded by Christmas card sales. Honorees were recognized at a June ceremony in The Dalles.
- Chicago and Japanese American community news, by Frank Fukazawa, page 4. A reader letter recalls childhood memories of Fourth of July parades in Stockton. The writer describes a community celebration from his school days.
Commentary
- Korea After 25 Years, by Bill Hosokawa, page 2. Bill Hosokawa describes his return to Korea, noting the rapid development of Taegu, Pohang and Seoul since the war. He reflects on how the once-battered landscape has transformed into industrial cities.
- Post Convention Notes, by Harry K. Honda, page 3. Editor Harry Honda reflects on the 24th Biennial JACL Convention in Sacramento, calling it more productive than Portland. He highlights recognition of the late Wayne Collins and the successful host chapter efforts.
- Plain Speaking: Our agenda for the biennium, by Wayne Horiuchi, page 3. Wayne Horiuchi urges readers to contact their congressional representatives about civil service credit for Japanese Americans interned during WWII. He also encourages signing petitions and supporting volunteer committees for Iva Toguri and Atomic Bomb survivor causes.
- From the Frying Pan: Bill Hosokawa, by Bill Hosokawa, page 4. Bill Hosokawa observes that Japanese media coverage of the US Bicentennial relied on Japanese commentators rather than Nisei or American experts. He notes that Japanese viewers may have come away with misimpressions about Nisei.
- A Nisei in Japan: The 4th on the 5th, by Barry Saiki, page 4. Barry Saiki reports on Japanese television and press coverage of the US Bicentennial, noting extensive but uneven treatment. He contrasts the limited Japanese viewer engagement with the celebrations in America.
Obituaries
- George Tanaka: Chicago JACLer, by P.C. Staff, page 4. George Tanaka, a longtime Chicago JACL leader and Military Intelligence Service veteran, died June 19. He was respected for his accounting expertise and service to numerous community organizations.
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