JACL’s 1974 biennium report, with the Portland convention ahead

Vol. 79, No. 1, July 5, 1974. 6 pages. View this issue

A look back at two years of JACL work filled this six-page issue, published as members prepared for the July 23-27 National Convention in Portland. National President Henry Tanaka wrote on helping National Board members view JACL from a national scope, and Executive Director David Ushio defended the organization’s willingness to take public stands. Other reports covered headquarters administration, regional offices, charter flights, a membership count near 30,000, and the July 13 groundbreaking for the new national headquarters in San Francisco.

Also inside: 24 JACL scholarships totaling $6,450, a Bill Hosokawa column on Japanese American ties to Japan, and a retrospective marking the Pacific Citizen’s 45 years. Little Tokyo redevelopment, plaques and pilgrimages at Rohwer, Manzanar, Tule Lake, Topaz and Amache, and a Mine Okubo exhibit at Riverside City College also appeared.

What’s in this issue

Commentary

• Board Members Must View JACL From a National Scope, by Henry Tanaka, page 1. National JACL President Henry Tanaka describes new caucus-based National Board meeting formats designed to help board members think nationally. He stresses that board service is a job requiring informed, decisive members and a participatory decision-making process that includes staff and district councils.
• Affinity Inescapable, by Bill Hosokawa, page 1. Bill Hosokawa argues that Japanese Americans remain interested in Japan because of ancestry, shared wartime history, and the importance of U.S.-Japan relations. He concludes that Japanese Americans have a legitimate stake in keeping that relationship cordial.
• A Nest-Full of Voice: JACL Dialogue, by David Ushio, page 2. JACL Executive Director David Ushio defends the organization’s willingness to take stands on controversial issues, citing responses to recent events. He argues that responsible public positions are necessary for JACL to be a dynamic national organization.
• The Changing Scene: Administrative Improvements at National JACL, by Henry Tanaka, page 2. National President Henry Tanaka reviews the biennium’s administrative changes, including new personnel policies, accounting systems, and program guidelines. He describes a new convention approach that involves chapters and districts in setting JACL goals.
• Fuji Hour: JACL Japanese-Language Radio Program in Seabrook, by Bill Hosokawa, page 3. Bill Hosokawa describes the Seabrook JACL’s Japanese-language Fuji Hour radio program, which has been warmly received by Issei listeners. He also recounts the story of pioneer pilot Goto, who died crashing near Salt Lake City in the 1920s.

JACL

• Administration at Headquarters: New Guidelines and Systems Improve Operations, by P.C. Staff, page 1. JACL headquarters reports new membership processing, accounting, budgeting, charter flight, and recognition guidelines adopted during the biennium. The changes aim to strengthen administration to meet the needs of a growing membership.
• Scholarships: JACL Offers 24 Awards Totaling $6,450, by P.C. Staff, page 1. JACL will offer 24 national scholarships worth $6,450 to students entering college and graduate levels, including two new awards. The national program has aided nearly 200 students since 1940, and chapters offer additional local awards.
• National Council to Review Scholarship Guidelines, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The National Education Committee has proposed revised scholarship guidelines affecting application methods, award amounts, and candidate evaluation. Proposed changes include a $500 minimum award and broader eligibility for community college and trade students.
• JAL-JACL Ethnic Heritage Fellowships Available Summer 1975, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Japan Air Lines and JACL will fund four fellowships for an eight-week summer study program at Sophia University in Tokyo for JAYs and JACL members aged 18 to 30. Expenses include airfare, tuition, room, board, and a two-week field trip.
• Groundbreaking Set July 13 for National JACL Headquarters Building, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Groundbreaking for the new National JACL Headquarters in San Francisco will take place July 13 on Sutter Street. A no-host luncheon at Suehiro’s Restaurant will follow the ceremony.
• JACL Offered 75 Slots Next Year in Presidential Classroom, by P.C. Staff, page 1. JACL will sponsor 75 Japanese American high school students for the 1975 Presidential Classroom for Young Americans in Washington, D.C. The program develops leadership skills among young Japanese Americans.
• JACL Regional Offices: Two More Opened in 1973-74, Propose Another Pair Next Year, by P.C. Staff, page 1. JACL opened regional offices in Chicago and Portland during the past biennium and proposes new ones for Mountain Plains and Central California districts. Chicago’s regional director reports improved communication between governors and chapters.
• Pacific Citizen Looks Back: 25 Years Ago, by P.C. Staff, page 2. A brief retrospective of July 1949 Pacific Citizen news includes a Nisei priest’s trip to Japan, a Nisei appointment to the Naval Academy, and JACL’s response to the Daniel Inouye incident. It also covers a JACL statement condemning a police roundup in San Francisco.
• Resource Materials Available on Japanese American Experience, by P.C. Staff, page 2. JACL offers films, a 51-book annotated bibliography, workshop kits, slide presentations, and books on the Japanese American experience for chapters. Many materials are available free or at minimal cost.
• JACL Steps Up Contacts With Both Governments and Media, by P.C. Staff, page 2. JACL’s Public Relations Commission recommended improved communication with the U.S. and Japanese governments and media on both sides of the Pacific. JACL has responded to increasing requests from Japanese media and has appeared in American press to inform the public.
• Come to Portland: Convention Schedule Shared, by Rowe Sumida, page 3. Portland and Gresham-Troutdale JACL chapters are finalizing plans for the July 23-27 National Convention. The article outlines dress expectations, the Friendship Dinner, the Kah-Nee-Ta outing, and the Masaoka Distinguished Service Award.
• JACL’s Anti-Defamation Committee Works Against Racism, by P.C. Staff, page 3. JACL reports successes in removing the slur Jap from official usage, including license plates, Air Force documents, and Library of Congress references. The committee also addressed media stereotypes and discriminatory portrayals of Japanese Americans.
• Convention Resolutions: 54 in Hopper, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Fifty-four resolutions, amendments, and proposals have been submitted for vote at the National JACL Convention. Pre-convention district council meetings are reviewing the items in detail.
• Speakers Lined Up for JACL National Convention, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Dr. Minoru Masuda, Senator Daniel Inouye, and Dr. Arthur Flemming are scheduled as major speakers at the Portland convention. Special guests and honorees will also be recognized during the event.
• Honorees: Mas Satow and A.L. Wirin Feted With Testimonial Banquets, by P.C. Staff, page 4. JACL honored Mas Satow, its longtime national executive director, and A.L. Wirin, longtime ACLU chief counsel, with testimonial banquets. Chapter-level silver and sapphire pins were also awarded during the biennium.
• Coordination Brings Better Service for JACL Charter Flights, by P.C. Staff, page 4. New National Board policies centralize JACL charter flight operations to avoid past problems such as cancelled flights and financial losses. Tad Hirota says the changes will reduce liabilities and provide better service to members.
• Membership Nears 30,000 Mark, by P.C. Staff, page 4. JACL membership increased substantially in the first half of the biennium, with Northern California-Western Nevada leading the districts. Special membership categories including the 1000 Club also grew.
• Credit Union Pays 6 Percent Dividend, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The JACL Credit Union declared a 6 percent annual dividend for the first half of 1974 and now has over $2 million in assets. A testimonial dinner will honor founder Hito Okada at the Portland convention.
• Eastern District Council Reviews Chapter Proposals, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Eastern District Council met in Seabrook to examine chapter-initiated convention proposals, including budgets for a legal staff, public relations office, and student internships. Delegates raised concerns about costs and priorities.

Community

• Pacific Citizen Marks 45 Years, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Pacific Citizen traces its origins to the 1929 Nikkei Shimin and its adoption as JACL’s official publication in 1932. The article recalls the editorial aims of its first editor, Iwao Kawakami, and the early history of the New American Citizens League.
• Mountain-Plains District Council Seeks Regional Office Comeback, by P.C. Staff, page 3. At a Ft. Lupton meeting, Mountain Plains District Governor Dr. Takashi Mayeda and delegates pressed for re-establishing a regional staff position. The district covers several states and was once served by the original Tri-State Office in Denver.
• Past the Winter of Our Discontent: Little Tokyo Redevelopment Progress, by Kats Kunitsugu, page 4. Little Tokyo redevelopment advanced as Little Tokyo Towers senior housing secured financing and the Plaza moved toward groundbreaking. The article also notes ongoing fire safety and eviction disputes affecting Little Tokyo tenants.
• Sansei Leadership Grows in JACL Chapters, by P.C. Staff, page 4. At least 24 Sansei served as chapter presidents or chairpersons during the 1972-74 biennium, with 16 still in office. Sansei also served on the National Board and as district governors and JAY representatives.
• Nisei Lawyer Defends Himself Against Misconduct Charges, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Los Angeles public defender T. Kayashima faced removal proceedings after being accused of misconduct in court. He defended his conduct before the California Commission on Judicial Performance.
• Mine Okubo Honored at Riverside City College, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Artist Mine Okubo, the first alumna of Riverside City College, was honored with an exhibit of her Citizen 13660 sketches and postwar works. The campus recognition marked her achievements in depicting camp life.

National

• Adoption of Textbooks Ignores Code Against Bias, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The California State Board of Education approved textbooks despite protests from JACL and other minority groups that they are biased against ethnic minorities and women. JACL is investigating a possible class action suit over the Board’s failure to enforce the State Education Code.
• Army Drops Race Designations From Personnel Records, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The Army eliminated racial and ethnic identifications from military personnel records, replacing them with broader categories including Asian American. Officials said the change would help address possible discrimination.
• Federal Funding Urged to Aid New Americans in Gateway Cities, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Representative Patsy Mink urged federal funding to help new immigrants in gateway cities, and San Francisco’s Human Rights Commission endorsed the proposal. The plan would also help move immigrants to jobs in other states.

Arts & Entertainment

• Six More Film Studies Due for Visual Communications Projects, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Visual Communications in Los Angeles reports progress on the Issei Film Project, now tentatively titled Watari-dori, due for completion in late July. The organization is also completing a film profile of Sansei poet Lawson Inada and several other works.
• Film on Issei Completed by UCLA Asian American Studies Center, by P.C. Staff, page 6. UCLA’s Asian American Studies Center completed Issei: The First 50 Years, a 20-minute documentary using photographs from its archives. The article notes that a separate Visual Communications film on the same subject is also in production.

Obituaries

• A Quiet Hero: Tribute to Hito Okada, by George Inagaki, page 3. George Inagaki pays tribute to Hito Okada, a longtime JACL leader, through personal recollections of fishing trips and kindnesses shown during and after the war. He describes Okada as one of the warmest and most thoughtful JACLers he has known.

Incarceration & Redress

• Historical Landmark Plaques and Pilgrimages Recall WW2 Evacuation, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Several former WRA camp sites, including Rohwer, Manzanar, and Tule Lake, have been recognized as historical landmarks or are the subject of pilgrimages. Local committees are also working on markers for Topaz and Amache.

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