Vol. 78, No. 20, May 24, 1974. 4 pages. View this issue
A scholarly history of Japanese Americans was nearing completion in this four-page issue. Robert T. Tanaka reported that Dr. Wilson, a professor, expected to finish the manuscript by the end of 1974, with book publication planned for 1975 or 1976 to coincide with the Bicentennial. The JACL project behind it dated to 1960 and had met many delays. Also on the front page: Arthur Flemming of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights was scheduled to speak at the JACL national convention banquet in Portland, and Nisei Week Festival profits were pledged to a planned community center.
Bill Hosokawa wrote two columns, one urging support for Norman Mineta’s run for Congress and another in his “From the Frying Pan” series. Page 3 covers Memorial Day services for Nisei war dead and the 442nd, a family pottery business in Auburn, and new officers in Omaha. Page 4 has chapter news and Joe Hamanaka’s reflection on Little Tokyo and its newspapers.
What’s in this issue
JACL
- Dr. Wilson’s Social History of Japanese in the United States Nears Completion, by Robert T. Tanaka, page 1. JARP’s definitive social history of Japanese Americans, written by UCLA Professor Dr. Wilson, is slated for completion by the end of 1974 with book publication planned for 1975 or 1976 to coincide with the Bicentennial. The project, first conceived by JACL in 1960, has been delayed by numerous setbacks but is now approaching publication.
- Omaha JACL Installs 1974-76 Officers, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Omaha JACL chapter held its biennial installation dinner, with outgoing president Mits Kamoto handing over to incoming president Edward Ishii. JACL executive director David Ushio was the main speaker at the event.
National
- Arthur Flemming to Address JACL Convention Banquet, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Arthur Flemming, chairman of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, is scheduled to address the National JACL Biennial Convention in Portland on July 27. Flemming previously lived in Oregon and has held several educational and government posts.
Community
- Nisei Week Festival Profits Pledged for Community Center, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Kiyo Yamato and Taro Kawa, trustees of a fund built from profits of the first three postwar Nisei Week Festivals, pledged $20,000 to the Japanese American Cultural Community Center. The fund has grown to about $20,000 over two decades and is part of a planned $2 million community center project.
- Ben Tsujikawa’s Auburn Pottery Company Produces Clay Pots, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Ben Tsujikawa, a White River Valley JACLer, runs the family-owned Auburn Pottery Company, which produces over 1.5 million red clay flower pots annually. The business began in 1924 and has mechanized parts of its production process over the years.
- Hawaii Today: Firecracker Ban and Solar Energy Research, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Hawaii officials plan to seek a federal exemption from a national firecracker sales ban, while Rep. Spark Matsunaga notes Hawaii could become a center for solar energy research. The column also reports on Hawaii Loa College fundraising and other local news.
- Local Scene: Community Happenings Across JACL Chapters, by P.C. Staff, page 4. This roundup reports community news from Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Denver, and Seattle JACL chapters, including Memorial Day services, dances, and a Pride and Shame travel exhibit. It also covers a Seattle hot-lunch program for seniors.
- Little Tokyo Post Editorial Reflects on Changing Community, by Joe Hamanaka, page 4. Joe Hamanaka writes about the history of Little Tokyo and the Japanese-language and English-language press in Los Angeles. He considers how the community’s changing demographics affect the viability of the Rafu Shimpo and its advertising base.
Commentary
- Norman Mineta’s Candidacy for Congress Deserves Support, by Bill Hosokawa, page 2. Columnist Bill Hosokawa argues that Norman Mineta, a candidate for a Santa Clara County congressional seat, would be an effective first mainland Nisei congressman. He urges Japanese Americans to contribute to Mineta’s campaign given his record and qualifications.
- From the Frying Pan, by Bill Hosokawa, page 3. Bill Hosokawa’s column covers a Heart Mountain camp newspaper column, the Powell and Cody Wyoming attitudes toward evacuees, and Issei dialect terms contributed by readers. It also notes Armed Forces interest in minority education and the demand for the book NISEI.
Military & Veterans
- Col. Hanley of 442nd to Speak at Memorial Rites, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Col. Hanley of the 442nd is scheduled to speak at Memorial Day services honoring Nisei war dead at Golden Gate National Cemetery. The event commemorates Japanese American soldiers who died during World War II.
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