Vol. 79, No. 4, July 26, 1974. 6 pages. View this issue
A tribute to Hito Okada, written by a longtime JACL colleague, opened the issue. It recalled his years as national treasurer and the dedication and sacrifice he brought to the organization. Also on the front page, Congressman James Stanton spoke at the Second National Ethnic Studies Association meeting and reported his continued support for ethnic heritage funding. Henry Tanaka and David Ushio reported on the $60,000 federal grant JACL received to develop curriculum materials on Japanese American contributions.
Edison T. Uno wrote about his long effort to win an admission from Earl Warren over the wartime evacuation, and Mike Masaoka reviewed Warren’s legacy. Uno also took on the Save the Whale boycott of Japanese products, which JACL leaders in San Francisco confronted in person. K. W. Lee gathered recollections of Caucasian friends who helped Japanese Americans in 1942, and columns by Bill Marutani, Bill Hosokawa and Kats Kunitsugu rounded out the six pages.
What’s in this issue
JACL
- Hito Okada: A Tribute from a Friend, by Hito Okada, page 1. A longtime JACL leader recalls his decades of work with Hito Okada, who served as national treasurer through many crucial years of the organization. The author describes Okada’s dedication, sacrifice, and influence on JACL’s growth.
- JACL Awarded $60,000 Ethnic Heritage Grant, by Henry Tanaka, page 2. JACL received a $60,000 federal grant from the Office of Education to develop curriculum materials on Japanese American contributions. The project aims to integrate these materials into public school curricula nationwide.
National
- Ohio Congressman Stanton Backs Ethnic Studies, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Congressman James Stanton urged that ethnic heritage be valued in American life in a keynote at the Second National Ethnic Studies Association meeting. He also reported his continued support for funding ethnic heritage programs.
- Role of Nikkei in U.S. Cited by H.E.W. Grant, by David Ushio, page 2. HEW Secretary Weinberger praised the contributions of Japanese Americans in a letter to Senator Hiram Fong approving JACL’s $60,000 proposal. Fong argued the proposal fits the purpose of the Ethnic Heritage Studies Program.
- Clergy Confront ‘Save the Whale’ Picketers, by P.C. Staff, page 2. JACL leaders in San Francisco confronted protesters who carried signs calling for a boycott of Japanese products. JACL objected that the term Japanese was racist and affected Americans of Japanese ancestry.
- Groups Oppose Changes in FCC License Rules, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Civil rights groups including JACL opposed a House-passed bill that would extend broadcast license renewal from three to five years. Critics argued the bill would weaken community challenges to licenses.
Incarceration & Redress
- Good Memories of Hakujin Helpers Endure, by K. W. Lee, page 2. Issei and Nisei in Sacramento recall Caucasian friends who helped them during the 1942 evacuation and internment. An oral history project seeks to preserve these stories of the so-called Hidden Americans.
- Earl Warren’s Regret: A Minority of One, by Edison T. Uno, page 6. Edison Uno describes his long campaign to get Earl Warren to acknowledge error in supporting the wartime Evacuation. Warren reportedly confided in private that his actions were his greatest regret.
Commentary
- Letter: Asian American Representation at The New York Times, by Ron Inouye, page 3. New York JACL chapter chairman Ron Inouye wrote to the New York Times asking how it would address the loss of its only Asian American staffer. The Times editor replied that it has an action program to add minority staff.
- Fine, But When Do We Start?, by Bill Marutani, page 3. The author argues that Japanese Americans share common bonds with other Asian Americans and should unite under JACL’s motto of strength through unity. He criticizes a restrictive JACL public relations report.
- Earl Warren: The First Chief Justice from the West, by Mike Masaoka, page 3. Masaoka reviews the legacy of Chief Justice Earl Warren, praising his judicial achievements while criticizing his role in advocating the wartime Evacuation of Japanese Americans. He notes Warren later expressed regret.
- Public Affairs Means Communication, by Bill Hosokawa, page 4. Hosokawa comments on the word Yankee and how minority groups have turned epithets into symbols of pride. He asks whether Japanese Americans will reclaim the word Jap in a similar way.
- On Margin, by Kats Kunitsugu, page 4. A marginal JACL member argues the national organization has lost its purpose and should become a federation of strong district councils. He doubts the San Mateo chapter’s associate member proposal will solve the problem.
- A Whale of an Issue, by Edison T. Uno, page 6. Uno addresses the controversy over the Save the Whale campaign and its call for boycotting Japanese products. He argues Nisei must speak up against the boycott, which he sees as fueled by racism and economic interests.
In-Depth
- Stalin: The Man and His Era (Book Review), by P.C. Staff, page 5. A review of Adam Ulam’s biography of Joseph Stalin, portraying him as a paranoid tyrant who purged rivals yet led the nation to victory in World War II. The reviewer notes the book is vivid but sometimes caricatures its subjects.
Community
- Local Chapter News Briefs, by P.C. Staff, page 6. A roundup of chapter news including Mid-Columbia scholarship dinner honors, a Riverside art exhibit, and Lions Club activity in San Francisco. Members of several chapters were recognized for community service.
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