Agriculture

Many Issei (first-generation Japanese immigrants) began as sharecroppers. Others sought to buy land, but the Issei had to overcome obstacles preventing them from competing with white farmers. California and other states passed alien land laws prohibiting Asian immigrants from purchasing or leasing agricultural land. There were ways around the discriminatory laws: an Issei father could put the property in the name of his American-born child, or issei could form corporations in which a majority of the shareholders were American citizens. Despite the alien land laws, Issei farmers played a significant role in West Coast agriculture. In the years just prior to World War II, Japanese American families grew 35 percent of the produce in California. By the 1920s, Japanese Americans supplied 75 percent of the produce and half the milk to the Puget Sound region.

Industry and employment (481)
Agriculture (769)

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769 items

doc California Alien Land Law Unconstitutional (May 2, 1922) (ddr-densho-56-371)

The Seattle Daily Times, May 2, 1922, p. 5

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-56-371/

doc Alien Land Forfeitured. Laundry Site of Pasco Japanese Must Be Given to State. (December 21, 1922) (ddr-densho-56-373)

The Seattle Daily Times, December 21, 1922, p. 19

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-56-373/

doc Alien Who Can't Own Land May Buy in Son's Name, Says High Court (January 19, 1948) (ddr-densho-56-1186)

The Seattle Daily Times, January 19, 1948, p. 1

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-56-1186/

doc Produce Hit, If Japs Are Ousted (February 19, 1942) (ddr-densho-56-636)

The Seattle Daily Times, February 19, 1942, p. 11

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-56-636/

Land Owners Warned. Antialien Leasing Law to be Enforced. Criminal Proceedings Are to Be Brought Against Any Trying to Evade Statute. (June 17, 1924) (ddr-densho-56-388)

doc Land Owners Warned. Antialien Leasing Law to be Enforced. Criminal Proceedings Are to Be Brought Against Any Trying to Evade Statute. (June 17, 1924) (ddr-densho-56-388)

The Seattle Daily Times, June 17, 1924, p. 22

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-56-388/

doc Alien Land Bill Up to Governor. Opposition Told That President-Elect Will Not Refer to Japanese Question. (March 3, 1921) (ddr-densho-56-360)

The Seattle Daily Times, March 3, 1921, pp. 1, 2

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-56-360/

New California Law Lets Japanese Lease. Amendment to Webb Measure Will Permit Them to Contract for Farms for Period of Three Years. (May 2, 1913) (ddr-densho-56-225)

doc New California Law Lets Japanese Lease. Amendment to Webb Measure Will Permit Them to Contract for Farms for Period of Three Years. (May 2, 1913) (ddr-densho-56-225)

The Seattle Daily Times, May 2, 1913, p. 15

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-56-225/

Alien Land Bill to Pass Senate. Friends of Measure Claim They Have 28 to 30 Lined Up on Affirmative Side. Vote to be Taken Today. (March 2, 1921) (ddr-densho-56-359)

doc Alien Land Bill to Pass Senate. Friends of Measure Claim They Have 28 to 30 Lined Up on Affirmative Side. Vote to be Taken Today. (March 2, 1921) (ddr-densho-56-359)

The Seattle Daily Times, March 2, 1921, pp. 1, 3

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-56-359/

doc Indians Protest Ruling. Yakimas Desire Right to Lease to Japanese. (December 30, 1922) (ddr-densho-56-374)

The Seattle Daily Times, December 30, 1922, p. 5

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-56-374/

doc Produce Men Hit W.R.A. Actions (July 17, 1945) (ddr-densho-56-1128)

The Seattle Daily Times, July 17, 1945, p. 11

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-56-1128/

doc Alien Land Case Is Decided Against State (July 9, 1926) (ddr-densho-56-403)

The Seattle Daily Times, July 9, 1926, p. 22

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-56-403/

doc Valley Farmers Oppose Change in Land Law (January 15, 1913) (ddr-densho-56-217)

The Seattle Daily Times, January 15, 1913, p. 10

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-56-217/

img Farm field (ddr-densho-9-1)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-9-1/

img Three women on a farm (ddr-densho-9-3)

Left to right: Teruko Hoshino, Katsuyo Hoshino, and Mitsue Shiraishi.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-9-3/

img Three children on a farm (ddr-densho-9-9)

The Kodani children, first names unknown.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-9-9/

img Woman working in a garden (ddr-densho-9-19)

Mitsue Shiraishi.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-9-19/

img Two children on a farm (ddr-densho-9-21)

George (left) and Kazuko Sato.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-9-21/

img Kenjiro Kida in field (ddr-one-3-78)

Black and white photograph of Kenjiro Kida standing next to a sapling in a field. Above his head is written "Kida" in red ink. On the back is written "Kenjiro Kida" in pencil.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-3-78/

doc Kay Kido Threw Her Trousseau Overboard to Become American (ddr-one-3-76)

November 5, 1953 issue of the Mt. Adams Sun, Volume XIX, Number 6. The newspaper contains an article on the front page titled "Kay Kido Threw Her Trousseau Overboard to Become American." The article is about the Kenjiro and Miyuki "Kay" Kida process for American citizenship and their experiences living in the United States.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-3-76/

img George Pyatt in front of downed tree (ddr-one-3-77)

Black and white photograph of four people, two standing on a downed tree, two sanding in front. George Pyatt standing in front of the down tree on the right side, "Pyatt" written below in red ink. Written on back of photograph: "Kay and Kida will know this one. George Pyatt in foreground."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-3-77/

doc Pacific Citizen, Vol. 45, No. 2 (July 12, 1957) (ddr-pc-29-28)

Select article titles: "House group recommends temp'y farm labor plan be continued: 'No ill effects' on domestic labor market recorded" (p. 1); "JACL Campaign Against Anti-Nisei Films on TV Circularized by NARBT" (p. 1); "Small Claims Court Hears Civil Right Cases" (p. 1); "$86,550 damage suit filed in traffic death of Sakamoto" (p. 1); "Mr. Moto, …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-pc-29-28/

doc Pacific Citizen, Vol. 44, No. 18 (May 3, 1957) (ddr-pc-29-18)

Select article titles: "Congressional hearings end on use of temporary Japanese farm labor" (p. 1); "Congressmen to support JACL Nat'l TV protest" (p. 1); "Active Chicagoan Mike Hagiwara dies unexpectedly" (p. 1); "Denver TV stations promis no showing of anti-Nisei films" (p. 1); "Parents of grade school pupils urged to protest use of 'Firelight Reader'" (p. …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-pc-29-18/

doc Pacific Citizen, Vol. 47, No. 18 (October 31, 1958) (ddr-pc-30-44)

Select article titles: "JACL Joins Campaign to Change Senate Filibustering Rules" (p.1); "Nisei researcher working for stronger looking potato without black spots" (P.3); "'Right to Work' initiative also hot for Wash. Voters" (p. 6)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-pc-30-44/

doc Pacific Citizen, Vol. 48, No. 3 (January 16, 1959) (ddr-pc-31-3)

Selected article titles: "Racial Relocation to ease tension?" (p. 1), "Anti-Nisei housing bias mooted by Utah civil righters" (p. 1), "50 of Calif.'s 80 Assemblymen Co-Author FEPC" (p. 1), "Univ. of Chicago Issei artist retires after 50-year association with college" (p. 1), "Columnist in L.A. Times comments on evacuation, hopes Sansei have as much diligence for …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-pc-31-3/

doc Pacific Citizen, Vol. 59, Vol. 21 (November 20, 1964) (ddr-pc-36-47)

Selected article titles: "Seattle Sansei Freed on Bail in Mississippi" (p.1-2), "Japanese Language Project" (p.1-2), "ACLU Supports NAACP Suit to Void Prop. 14" (p.1), "When Bracero Program Ends, Call Retained Mexican Workers 'Primo'" (p1, 3), "'Inclusion' of Negro Jurors if Deliberate Held as Unconstitutional as 'Exclusion'" (p.3).

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-pc-36-47/