A federal grant for the UCLA Japanese American Research Project

Vol. 64, No. 1, January 6, 1967. 6 pages. View this issue

A federal grant for Japanese American scholarship led this six-page issue of January 1967. The National Institute of Mental Health gave the UCLA Japanese American Research Project a grant to study the first three generations of Japanese Americans. National JACL President Jerry Enomoto welcomed it, Shig Wakamatsu wrote to the Issei about what the project meant, and Frank Chuman, JACL’s representative on the project, called it the best news to start 1967. Enomoto also used his column to look ahead at the year for JACL.

Other pages cover the merger of the Cal Neva JACL Credit Union into the San Francisco JACL Credit Union, and JACL’s plan to file a friend-of-the-court brief in the Loving case. Tamotsu Murayama remembered Joseph Heco, and Mike Masaoka previewed the 90th Congress. Four of the six pages carry holiday greeting ads.

What’s in this issue

National

  • Project Receives $221,400 U.S. Government Grant, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The UCLA Japanese American Research Project received a $221,690 grant from the National Institute of Mental Health to study the social character of the first three generations of Japanese Americans. Chancellor Franklin Murphy named a new executive committee including JACL representative Frank Chuman to oversee the four-year study.
  • Sen. Inouye Thanked for Pushing Vacation Bill, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Crew members of the research vessel Shearwater in Honolulu thanked Sen. Daniel Inouye for sponsoring a bill granting federal civil service seamen 20 additional working days of vacation per year. The change aligns federal seamen with the maritime industry and aids recruitment.
  • Japan Air Lines Announces Program to Assist Immigrants From Asia, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Japan Air Lines introduced a service helping people of Oriental ancestry immigrate to the United States under liberalized Asia-Pacific Triangle immigration laws. The program provides multilingual brochures, document assistance, and travel arrangements free of charge.
  • JACL to File Amicus Brief on Loving Case, by P.C. Staff, page 2. JACL will file a friend-of-the-court brief in the U.S. Supreme Court case challenging Virginia’s anti-miscegenation law. The brief will be prepared by William Marutani with help from Mike Masaoka and Harold Gordon.

JACL

  • Initiating 1967, by Jerry Enomoto, page 1. National JACL President Jerry Enomoto urges members to evaluate the organization’s strengths and weaknesses and to put more individual effort into its work in the new year. He congratulates newly installed chapter officers and calls for fresh, imaginative thinking to keep JACL active.

Incarceration & Redress

  • Okei Grave Gets State Landmark Recognition, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The State Historical Landmarks committee granted recognition to the grave of Okei, the first Japanese woman to die in the United States, and the Gold Hill site of the Wakamatsu Tea and Silk Farm Colony. A plaque dedication is planned for 1969 as part of the Coloma centennial program.
  • Full Stride Toward Reality: Enomoto, by P.C. Staff, page 2. JACL President Jerry Enomoto welcomed the NIMH grant to the UCLA Japanese American Research Project as a major step toward scholarly study of Japanese American history. He said the federal funding reflects the project’s real merit despite budget cuts for Vietnam.
  • Issei Entrance Into History, by Shig Wakamatsu, page 2. JARP chairman Shig Wakamatsu outlines the project’s progress, including the history of the Japanese in the U.S. and the Issei survey. He addresses the Issei directly, saying the scholarly work represents their final counteroffensive and entrance into the nation’s history.

Community

  • Gakuen Credit Still at Impasse With California School Board, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Japanese language school officials proposed classroom observation as a way to resolve the delay in granting public school credit for Japanese taught at gakuen. Discussions also covered whether conversational skills should be emphasized over reading and writing.
  • Change Sought in Method to Select County Grand Jury, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Sacramento Superior Court Judge Mamoru Sakuma joined jurists seeking to select grand jurors from the general list of registered voters rather than from friends of judges. He argued the grand jury should more fairly represent the entire community.
  • Cal-Neva, San Francisco JACL Credit Union Merger Approved, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Cal Neva JACL Credit Union merged into the San Francisco JACL Credit Union effective Dec. 15 after members approved the action by wide margins. The combined credit union now has about 500 active members and over $400,000 in assets.
  • Consul General Reassigned, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Consul General Tsutomu Wada, who headed the San Francisco Japanese consulate for three years, has been reassigned to Bangkok as councillor and deputy chief at the Japanese Embassy in Thailand.
  • Holiday Issue, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The 1966 PC Holiday Issue generated advertising from chapters and businesses, with totals reported for display ads, bulk-rate ads, and one-line greetings. Adjustments will be made for chapters affected by errors or omissions.
  • Best News to Start Off 1967: Chuman, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Attorney Frank Chuman, JACL representative to the UCLA project, celebrated the NIMH grant as the best news to start 1967. He traced the project’s funding history and credited Mike Masaoka and others for their congressional efforts.
  • Progressive Westside JACL Treats Exceptional Children at Christmas, by Roberta Takamoto, page 3. Progressive Westside JACLers hosted a Christmas party for about 215 exceptional children at Pacific State Hospital in Pomona. The event featured music, dancing, a full dinner, and visits from Santa Claus with gifts.
  • Needy Japanese Family Aided by Sub for Santa, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Mt. Olympus JACL members in Salt Lake City donated clothing, food, and money to make Christmas merry for a needy Japanese family with six small children. The project was chaired by Yukus Inouye, Tom Matsumori, and Yuki Tadehara.
  • 125 at Yule Fete, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Idaho Falls JACL held a Christmas party for 125 people at the JACL Hall, featuring children’s entertainment and a visit from Santa Claus. Chapter president Haruo Yamasaki welcomed the attendees.
  • Fabulous ’67 Golden Ball, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Progressive Westside JACLers held a semi-formal dinner-dance at Airport Marina Hotel to greet the new year. The evening featured door prizes, member skits, and music by the Strangers.
  • Eastern District Council Meets in Seabrook, NJ, by Ellen Nakamura, page 3. The EDC meeting in Seabrook, New Jersey, explored ways for chapters to implement civil rights programs. Grayce Uyehara recommended reading books on race relations to help members participate more fully.
  • More Kanji Needed for Daily Japanese Use, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Premier Eisaku Sato urged a review of the Toyokanji list of officially designated Chinese characters for daily use in Japan. Critics say the 1,850 characters are too few to express modern Japanese ideas.
  • Cleveland Jrs. Hailed for Well-Planned Workshop of Civil Rights Theme, by Laurel Marutani, page 4. Laurel Marutani praises a Midwest District Youth Council workshop in Cleveland focused on the responsibilities of citizens in civil rights. The weekend included a mixer, business meeting, luncheon, forum, and outing.

Commentary

  • Pan-Am Plans New Film on Japan; Not Intended to Misrepresent, Official Told, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Pan-Am World Airways plans a full-scale film on the new Japan in response to criticism from Consul General Tsutomu Wada that its older film So Small My Island was antiquated. A Pan-Am official said the company never intended to misrepresent Japan.
  • Washington Newsletter: 90th Congress, by Mike Masaoka, page 2. Mike Masaoka previews the 90th Congress, noting reduced Democratic majorities and the power struggles over committee assignments. He identifies Vietnam and social legislation as the central issues and discusses possible rules reforms.
  • Merry Christmas, by Bill Hosokawa, page 3. Bill Hosokawa explains why the family skipped sending Christmas cards this year and extends New Year wishes to readers. The column is a light personal note from the editor.
  • East Wind: Japanese Passover, by William Marutani, page 4. William Marutani recalls New Year’s customs from his childhood, including a day of financial abstinence and traditional foods such as ozoni and namako. He reflects on the Issei custom of visiting neighbors and sharing sake on New Year’s morning.
  • Under 21, by Russ Obana, page 4. National Junior JACL Chairman Russ Obana argues that young Japanese Americans should look beyond their own community and contribute to the wider American society. He calls for Junior JACL and JACL to take a more active role in total community involvement.
  • PSWDYC Sights 1967 Calendar, by Patti Iwatari, page 4. Patti Iwatari outlines the Pacific Southwest District Youth Council’s 1967 plans, including a snow trip, a leadership workshop, and a fund-raising dance. Projects are intended to unify the district’s several chapters.
  • Sounding Board: As Outsiders See JACL, by Jeffrey Matsui, page 5. Jeffrey Matsui reports interviews with Nisei evacuees who still blame JACL for wartime injustices. He reflects that their anger reflects the tragedy of the war and offers an understanding of their emotional responses.
  • 1966 Steps Out, by Harry K. Honda, page 6. Editor Harry Honda reflects on the holiday season and reports on a Christmas concert featuring xylophonist Yoichi Hiraoka. He also comments on a federal appellate ruling ordering the desegregation of all school grades, linking it to Nisei parents’ concerns about racially imbalanced schools.
  • Human Rights, by Clifford I. Uyeda, page 6. Clifford Uyeda argues that Nisei agree on the ideal of human rights but differ on methods. He says the pursuit of rights must not destroy the rights of others and calls for more dialogue within the community.
  • Letter: Holiday Issue Poem, by Susumu Matsumoto, page 6. Susumu Matsumoto writes to identify the author of a poem printed in the holiday issue as Bob Okazaki, who wrote it at Poston. The letter corrects the credit of a poem originally titled Goodbye, Poston.

In-Depth

  • Joseph Heco Is Remembered, by Tamotsu Murayama, page 1. Tokyo historians marked the 70th anniversary of Joseph Heco’s death, recalling the first Japanese naturalized American citizen. The article traces his shipwreck, rescue, naturalization in 1858, and role as an interpreter for Townsend Harris.

Thank you for exploring the Pacific Citizen archive. The title, introduction and contents on this page were written by an AI model from scans of the printed issue, so they may contain mistakes. If you spot one, we would be grateful if you let us know.

More from Issue archive