Norman Mineta elected mayor of San Jose, and JACL president Raymond Uno in Denver

Vol. 72, No. 16, April 23, 1971. 6 pages. View this issue

Norman Mineta’s win in San Jose’s mayoral race led the April 23, 1971 issue. The paper reported that he took 60 percent of the vote in a 15-way contest and became the first Japanese American mayor of a major American city. National JACL President Raymond Uno wrote about his visit to Denver and Fort Lupton, arguing that JACL is needed in small rural communities. Bill Hosokawa described the struggles of the Mile-Hi Denver chapter, and Mike Masaoka assessed the Supreme Court at the midpoint of its term.

Elsewhere in these six pages: Rep. Patsy Mink’s address to a national conference on Asian American studies, the push for emergency funds to buy earthquake-damaged properties in Little Tokyo, parents picketing over a Nisei principal in Denver, and Allan Beekman’s review of John Toland’s The Rising Sun.

What’s in this issue

Community

• Norman Mineta Wins San Jose Mayor Election, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Norman Mineta, 43, became the first Japanese American mayor of a major American city by winning a commanding 60 percent of votes in a 15-way race in San Jose. A partner in his father’s insurance firm, he has served on the city council since 1967 and as vice-mayor.
• Joe Tanaka Elected to St. Louis School Post, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Joseph K. Tanaka, a past JACL chapter president, won a seat on the Lindbergh School District Board in St. Louis in the April 6 election. He is believed to be the first Nisei to run for public office in Missouri.
• Salt Lake to Host Bussei Women, by P.C. Staff, page 1. About 1,000 members of the National Buddhist Women’s Federation will gather in Salt Lake City April 24-25 for a convention on the theme of compassion. Discussion will focus on how Dana (Offering) Day funds can best support Buddhism education in America.
• Issei Memorial Stone at Sacramento Erected, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Sacramento Nikkeijinkai will dedicate a memorial monument honoring 127 Issei buried at Odd Fellows cemetery between 1910 and 1926. Tom Fujimoto is in charge of the unveiling ceremonies.
• Parents Demand Nisei Principal Be Replaced, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Parents picketed Harrington School in Denver over the dismissal of Nisei principal Joe T. Ariki and other complaints following low reading scores, and about half the pupils boycotted classes. The 18 demands include special reading teachers, ethnic literature and a parental voice in teacher selection.
• $3 Million in Quake Disaster Funds Expected, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Little Tokyo Redevelopment Project’s earthquake task force is nearing success in its bid for $3 million in emergency HUD funds to acquire quake-damaged properties on E. 3rd St. A delegation met with HUD Secretary George Romney in Washington, and the proposal is to be resubmitted.
• Patsy Mink Challenges Asian Ethnic Scholars to Wider Roles, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Rep. Patsy Mink addressed the first national conference on Asian American studies at USC, urging scholars to help America appreciate Asian values and humanity. She also said anti-Oriental prejudice contributed to wartime evacuation and that the Calley case reflected a view that Asian lives matter less.
• Parents Demand Nisei Principal Be Replaced, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Continuation of the Denver Harrington School controversy with parents picketing and pupils boycotting. Principal Ariki said the boycott limits instruction for students who stay away.
• Kushida Appointed Agency Manager, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Tats Kushida, a former JACL regional director, was named manager of Cal-Western Life’s Wilshire Agency in Los Angeles. He has won the industry’s National Quality Award and earned his Chartered Life Underwriter designation.
• Little Tokyo Redevelopment Continued, by P.C. Staff, page 2. A new Little Tokyo Development Co. has been formed by property owners to develop a $5 million shopping-retail center in the first action area. The city traffic department has also temporarily stayed a plan to make E. 2nd St. one-way after meeting with local businessmen.
• Appellate Court Rules on Ohta Murder Issue, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The state appellate court denied a petition for a change of venue in the trial of James Lincoln Liner, accused of killing Victor Ohta, his wife, two sons and secretary. The defense argued that publicity would prevent a fair trial.
• Sonoma County All Set for 2nd Edition of Japanese Cultural-Trade Festival, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Sonoma County JACL and Cardinal Newman Assn. are co-sponsoring a three-day Japanese cultural and trade festival at the county fairgrounds beginning April 23. The event features about 20 Bay Area trade firms, cultural demonstrations, and food, with proceeds raising funds.

National

• Model City Budget Omits Request of Seattle Orientals, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Seattle’s Model City program denied a $34,000 request to establish an Asian cultural-recreation center for elderly Chinese, Japanese and Filipinos in the International District. Oriental audience members walked out in protest and threatened to withdraw the district from the model area.
• Spark Joins Fight on Unregulated Federal Snooping, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Rep. Spark Matsunaga joined more than 60 House members in introducing legislation to restrict federal personal records and data banks. The bill would require agencies to notify citizens, limit disclosure and let citizens inspect and correct their records.
• Mahalia Jackson to Sing for Emperor of Japan, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Gospel singer Mahalia Jackson, touring Japan for Easter concerts, accepted an invitation to sing Christian hymns before Emperor Hirohito on April 23. The performance falls six days before His Majesty’s 70th birthday.
• California Law on Anti-Bussing Allowed to Stand, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The California Supreme Court upheld a state anti-bussing statute on narrow grounds, and the U.S. Supreme Court declined to intervene. The ruling means students must still attend assigned schools, with transportation at parents’ expense if they decline school-provided buses.

Arts & Entertainment

• Six JARP Books in ’72 Expected, by Shig Wakamatsu, page 1. Six books in the JACL-JARP research project are scheduled for completion in summer 1972, including Dr. Robert Wilson’s general history of Japanese in America and Dr. Gene Levine’s multi-generational sociological study. The report also covers the UCLA documentary collection now housed at the Asian American Studies Center.

In-Depth

• Most Original American Bohemian, by Harry Lawton, page 1. This reprinted Chronicle article profiles Sadakichi Hartmann, a Japanese-born writer and critic who was a flamboyant figure in American bohemian circles from the 1890s through the Depression. It describes ongoing research by Harry Lawton, George Knox and others into his largely forgotten work.

Commentary

• U-No Bar: Mile Hi and Fort Lupton, by Raymond Uno, page 1. National JACL President Raymond Uno recounts his visit to Denver and Fort Lupton, describing the warm potluck reception and the local chapter’s concerns. He argues that JACL is needed in small rural communities and that the organization is structurally sound.
• Mike Masaoka Washington Newsletter: Supreme Court Trends at Midpoint, by Mike Masaoka, page 2. Masaoka assesses the Burger Court’s decisions halfway through the term, noting a gradual shift from the activism of the Warren Court toward judicial restraint. He analyzes the voting blocs, including swing votes by Justices Black, Stewart and Harlan.
• Bill Hosokawa: From the Frying Pan, by Bill Hosokawa, page 3. Hosokawa describes the Mile-Hi Denver JACL chapter’s struggle to stay active after its younger leaders withdrew from the chapter. He reports that National President Raymond Uno’s visit on Easter Sunday revived interest in keeping the chapter alive.
• Ride the Kokuden, by Frank Fukazawa, page 3. Fukazawa describes the crowded rush-hour commuter trains in Tokyo, the packing technique used by station attendants, and the soothing music played over the station speakers. He presents the experience with humor and affection.
• Executive Committee’s Role, by Fred Y. Hirasuna, page 4. Hirasuna questions the authority of the JACL National Executive Committee to make major policy decisions between National Council meetings. He argues that the Council should review such actions and that all district councils should be represented on the Executive Committee.
• Untold Story: Japanese American and White Middle-Class Values, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Riverside JACL reply to criticism of the textbook argues that Japanese American values overlap significantly with white middle-class values, citing Chicago research on Nisei adjustment. The authors contend the book reflects these shared values rather than rejecting Japanese ones.
• Editor’s Desk: Yamashita Case Here and in Singapore, by Harry K. Honda, page 5. The editorial compares a proposed Singapore waxworks display of Gen. Yamashita with the debate over the Lt. Calley verdict in the United States. It argues that the real question is whether the law applies equally to the vanquished and to the victors.
• Monumental Pacific War History: The Rising Sun Review, by Allan Beekman, page 5. Beekman reviews John Toland’s The Rising Sun, a comprehensive history of the Pacific War from both Japanese and American perspectives. He praises its readability and scope while noting some factual errors.
• Letters: Scherzi a Parte and Asian American Studies, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Two readers write in: Eiji Amemiya jokes about Norman Mineta’s election, and Stephanie Chan describes how Asian American studies helped her embrace her heritage. Both letters are brief reader responses to recent PC coverage.
• On Second Thought: America, Love It or Leave It, by Warren Furutani, page 6. Warren Furutani reflects on the credibility gap between younger activists and the older generation and on the need to keep idealism alive. He critiques majority pressure on Japanese Americans to relate to other minorities through a model-minority lens.

Incarceration & Redress

• JACL Urges Anti-Poverty Programs Be Kept in Present OEO Structure, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The JACL endorsed a National Leadership Conference on Civil Rights statement urging that the Office of Economic Opportunity’s programs be extended and kept intact rather than spun off. The recommendations include keeping community action programs and the VISTA program within OEO.

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