Paul Nagano Segment 1

Issei immigrants embrace Christianity as part of effort to assimilate into dominant culture (ddr-densho-1000-65-1) - 00:04:40
Formation and growth of prewar Japanese Christian churches (ddr-densho-1000-65-2) - 00:04:49
Family's religious background and joining a Japanese Baptist church as a young boy (ddr-densho-1000-65-3) - 00:04:11
Japanese churches: blending of Japanese traditions with Christian worship and church life (ddr-densho-1000-65-4) - 00:08:16
Baptist churches offer assistance to Japanese during wartime mass removal (ddr-densho-1000-65-5) - 00:04:09
Memories of Japanese Americans singing Christian hymns en route to concentration camps (ddr-densho-1000-65-6) - 00:04:12
Different denominations meld together as one ecumenical church in Poston concentration camp (ddr-densho-1000-65-7) - 00:04:43
Christian faith and social justice: dealing with so-called "loyalty questionnaire," and military service (ddr-densho-1000-65-8) - 00:07:20
Animosity between "yes-yes" and "no-no" respondents in concentration camp (ddr-densho-1000-65-9) - 00:07:13
Efforts of Caucasian Christian churches to support Japanese Americans in concentration camps (ddr-densho-1000-65-10) - 00:04:25
Leaving camp to attend Bethel Seminary, Minnesota, speaking before Caucasian congregations during the war (ddr-densho-1000-65-11) - 00:04:31
Re-establishing Japanese Christian churches on West Coast during the postwar resettlement period (ddr-densho-1000-65-12) - 00:05:09
Nisei join Christian churches in large numbers, seeking a support and social group postwar (ddr-densho-1000-65-13) - 00:06:17
Role of the Berkeley Buddhist Temple in providing housing and serving the community during the postwar resettlement period (ddr-densho-1000-65-14) - 00:07:19
Discussion of doctoral thesis: the need for a strong Japanese American identity within pluralistic society (ddr-densho-1000-65-15) - 00:06:16
Impact of incarceration experience: "affirming who we are as a group of people" (ddr-densho-1000-65-16) - 00:02:48
Reflecting on the commonalities between Christianity and Buddhism (ddr-densho-1000-65-17) - 00:03:04
Council of Pacific-Asian Theology, bringing Eastern religions into the Christian dialogue (ddr-densho-1000-65-18) - 00:07:15
Free to use This object is offered under a Creative Commons license. You are free to use it for any non-commercial purpose as long as you properly cite it, and if you share what you have created.

Learn more...

ddr-densho-1000-65-1 (Legacy UID: denshovh-npaul-01-0001)

Issei immigrants embrace Christianity as part of effort to assimilate into dominant culture

00:04:40 — Segment 1 of 18

Previous segment Next segment

May 25, 1999

Densho Visual History Collection

Densho

Courtesy of Densho

ddr-densho-1000-65

Paul Nagano

Paul Nagano Interview

01:36:37 — 18 segments

May 25, 1999

Seattle, Washington

Sansei male. Born, June 17, 1920, in Los Angeles, California. Grew up in "Little Tokyo," and the Boyle Heights area. During World War II, was removed to the Poston concentration camp, Arizona. Became ordained as a Baptist minister while incarcerated, ministering to fellow camp inmates and leading ecumenical worship services in camp. Left Poston to attend Bethel Theological Seminary in St Paul, Minnesota. Following the war, resettled in Los Angeles and established the Japanese Baptist Church, later renamed to Evergreen Baptist Church. Appointed the first director of Japanese Evangelical Missionary Society. Spent eight years as pastor of the Makiki Church in Honolulu. Returned to the mainland and earned his doctorate degree (D. Rel.) from the School of Theology, Claremont, California, authoring a thesis on Japanese American identity, ethnic pluralism, and Christianity. Spent fifteen years as Pastor as Japanese Baptist Church in Seattle, Washington. Taught at the American Baptist Seminary of the West, Berkeley, California, and served as Director of the Council for Pacific Asian Theology, Oakland, California. Presently, Minister-at-Large-Northern California Japanese American Church Federation.

Stephen Fugita, interviewer; Becky Fukuda, interviewer; John Pai, videographer

Densho

Courtesy of Densho

API