Building the JACL headquarters and a call to Sansei students

Vol. 78, No. 2, January 18, 1974. 4 pages. View this issue

Fundraising for the new JACL National Headquarters building ran through the front page of this four-page issue. National JACL reported $47,640 in pledges and donations and extended the deadline to April 1, 1974, while the Livingston-Merced chapter worked toward a conference room in memory of three local soldiers of the 442nd Infantry Regiment. JACL also secured 30 to 50 places for high school students in the Presidential Classroom for Young Americans, with 1000 Club awards to help. Columns by Craig Shimabukuro and Edison T. Uno looked at where JACL was headed in 1974.

Also in this issue: Bill Hosokawa’s column on a wartime day at the Heart Mountain camp, a book review by Allan Beekman, census figures on Asian Americans, and plans for the National JACL Bowling Tournament in Sacramento. Two charter flights to Japan were announced, and installation dinners were set for Monterey Peninsula and Sacramento.

What’s in this issue

JACL

• Sansei Sought for National Capital Class, by P.C. Staff, page 1. National JACL has secured 30 to 50 positions for high school students in the Presidential Classroom for Young Americans program in Spring 1974. The 1000 Club will sponsor student awards of $225 administered by National Headquarters.
• JACL’s PR Role Topic for EDC Panelists Jan. 26, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Eastern District Council winter workshop in Gaithersburg, Md. will focus on the role of JACL in public relations. Panelists and a keynote address by National JACL President-elect Sugiyama are scheduled.
• $47,640 Acknowledged for JACL National Headquarters Building Fund, by P.C. Staff, page 1. JACL National Headquarters fund drive has received $47,640 in pledges and donations, and the deadline for contributions has been extended to April 1, 1974. Fund co-chairman Steve Doi expressed confidence that chapters will launch strong programs to raise the remaining funds.
• Nat’l JACL 1000 Club Charter Flight to Japan, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The National JACL 1000 Club announced a spring charter flight to Japan from April 7 to April 30 with a round-trip fare of $325. Eligibility is limited to 1000 Club members and their immediate households.
• 1974 JACL Summer Charter Flight to Japan, by P.C. Staff, page 4. JACL announced a summer charter flight to Japan via Pan American World Airways departing July 28 and returning August 18 for $350 per person. The flight is open to JACL members and immediate family, with departure from Portland following the national convention.

Community

• Livingston-Merced Chapter Raising $6,500 for HQ Building Conference Room, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Livingston-Merced JACL chapter is nearing its goal to fund a conference room in the new JACL National Headquarters building as a memorial to three local WWII soldiers. The room will honor Pfc. Mamoru Kinoshita, Pfc. Arnold Ohki, and Pvt. Shiroaki Shoji, all of the 442nd Infantry Regiment.
• Chicago-Tokyo Charter Flight Fare Increased, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The round-trip fare for the 1000 Club JACL charter flight to Japan has increased from $418 to $460 per person due to an airline fare increase. Dr. Frank Sakamoto provided the update.
• Minamis Donate $100,000 to City of Santa Maria, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Yataro Minami presented $100,000 to the Santa Maria City Council in memory of his late father, H. Yaemon Minami, a pioneer lettuce grower. The funds will go toward a community center in the planning stages.
• Focus on Senior Citizen Housing in Little Tokyo, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Little Tokyo Towers is accepting applications for a proposed 400-unit senior citizen housing project pending HUD approval. Rent will be about $120 with income limits, and construction is expected to finish by early 1975.
• JACL Bowling Tournament Plans Coming Along; Entry Forms Due, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Entry forms for the 28th annual National JACL Bowling Tournament in Sacramento, March 4-9, are due January 21. Committees have arranged transportation, special events, and the final night banquet.
• Alameda JACL Announces Scholarship Winners for ’73, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Philip Hanamura won the 1973 Alameda JACL Scholarship Award of $250, with Ruth Yamawaki placing second at $150. Both are attending UC Berkeley.
• Monterey Peninsula to Hear Rep. Matsunaga, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Rep. Spark Matsunaga will be the keynote speaker at the 1974 Monterey Peninsula JACL installation dinner-dance on January 26 in Carmel Valley.
• Sacramento Sets Inaugural for Feb. 10, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Sacramento JACL announced its 1974 installation dinner for February 10. Assemblyman Bannai was to address the event.
• Cleveland Hosts MDYC Workshop, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Midwest District Youth Council delegates met in Cleveland over Thanksgiving weekend to discuss the theme ‘Where Do We Go from Here?’ through workshops and guest speakers.

Commentary

• Asian Motif Scenes for Commercial Protested, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Chinese for Affirmative Action protested Old Spice commercials featuring demeaning Asian stereotypes. A filming attempt to have an actor sit on a Buddha statue in Golden Gate Park’s Japanese Tea Garden was stopped by caretakers.
• The Year of the Tiger, by Craig Shimabukuro, page 2. The author reflects on the challenges facing JACL in 1974, including racism shown in the Wilson remark about Senator Inouye and discrimination cases handled by the Southern California Regional Office. He calls for analysis and action from the organization.
• A Minority of One, by Edison T. Uno, page 2. Uno recounts attending the silver anniversary celebration of the East Los Angeles JACL chapter and reflects on the early history of JACL. He argues that JACL should re-evaluate its goals and consider self-determination in its future direction.
• Census — 1970 (Whois the Asian American?), by P.C. Staff, page 3. Census data profiles Asian Americans, showing higher median family incomes and rising educational attainment. Asian Americans have kept poverty rates below the national average.
• From the Frying Pan, by Bill Hosokawa, page 3. Hosokawa recounts a wartime story from the Heart Mountain WRA camp in 1943 when his family received news about his mother. The column reflects on compassion during difficult times.
• Tokyo Rose Book Review, by P.C. Staff, page 3. A reviewer critiques a Japanese book that portrays Iva Toguri as a victim of intelligence maneuvering, noting its factual errors and speculative content. The review suggests Toguri was unjustly convicted.
• Let’s Meet in Sacramento: To the Below-175 Average Bowler, by Shig Oto, page 4. Oto encourages average bowlers to participate in the JACL National Bowling Tournament, explaining that squads are organized by average so bowlers compete with peers. He emphasizes that the tournament is about fun and camaraderie.

National

• Who Is the Asian American?, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Census data from 1970 shows Asian Americans comprise about 1% of the U.S. population, with Japanese Americans the largest group at 591,000. The data reveals their urban concentration, higher median family income, and rising educational attainment.

Arts & Entertainment

• Book Review: The Sea and Poison by Shusaku Endo, by Allan Beekman, page 3. Beekman reviews Shusaku Endo’s novel The Sea and Poison, which examines wartime Japan and the moral conflicts of a young doctor. The review highlights Endo’s Christian perspective on Japanese life.

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