The Japanese American Citizens League

The Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) was organized in the late 1920s by a small group of young, professional nisei in response to the anti-Japanese fervor of the times. The organization was decidedly patriotic and dealt with discrimination by emphasizing American citizenship, loyalty, and assimilation. Because of their ideology, JACL members were recruited by the military to assist in carrying out the "evacuation" orders, and they urged Japanese Americans to cooperate with the government. The group inspired strong, mixed feelings among Japanese Americans during this time. However, in the years following the war, the JACL regained much of its former support by successfully overturning many legal barriers for Japanese Americans.

Community activities (855)
Associations and organizations (529)
The Japanese American Citizens League (1630)

Related articles from the Densho Encyclopedia :
Warren Furutani, Japanese American Citizens League, Saburo Kido, James Sakamoto, Masao Satow, Walter Tsukamoto, Edison Uno

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1630 items
Jimmie Omura Interview Segment 13 (ddr-densho-1002-11-13)
vh Jimmie Omura Interview Segment 13 (ddr-densho-1002-11-13)
Description of the prewar Japanese American Citizens League and Tokie Slocum

This interview was conducted by sisters Emiko and Chizuko Omori for their 1999 documentary, Rabbit in the Moon, about the Japanese American resisters of conscience in the World War II incarceration camps. As a result, the interviews in this collection are typically not life …

Jimmie Omura Interview Segment 12 (ddr-densho-1002-11-12)
vh Jimmie Omura Interview Segment 12 (ddr-densho-1002-11-12)
Becoming involved in a conflict between the New World Daily newspaper and the Japanese American Citizens League

This interview was conducted by sisters Emiko and Chizuko Omori for their 1999 documentary, Rabbit in the Moon, about the Japanese American resisters of conscience in the World War II incarceration camps. As a result, the interviews in …

Spady Koyama Interview I Segment 12 (ddr-densho-1000-38-12)
vh Spady Koyama Interview I Segment 12 (ddr-densho-1000-38-12)
Formation of the Spokane, Washington Chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League
Grayce Uyehara Segment 6 (ddr-densho-1000-99-6)
vh Grayce Uyehara Segment 6 (ddr-densho-1000-99-6)
Organizing the Philadelphia chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL)

This interview was conducted at the Voices of Japanese American Redress Conference, held on the UCLA campus and sponsored by the UCLA Asian American Studies Center and the UCLA School of Public Policy and Social Research. Because of the full conference schedule, our interviews were …

Alan Nishio Segment 11 (ddr-densho-1000-450-11)
vh Alan Nishio Segment 11 (ddr-densho-1000-450-11)
Getting involved with the Japanese American Citizens League
Floyd Shimomura Segment 18 (ddr-densho-1000-466-18)
vh Floyd Shimomura Segment 18 (ddr-densho-1000-466-18)
Becoming president of National Japanese American Citizens League
Floyd Shimomura Segment 14 (ddr-densho-1000-466-14)
vh Floyd Shimomura Segment 14 (ddr-densho-1000-466-14)
Moving up in the Japanese American Citizens League as the redress movement was starting
Toru Sakahara - Kiyo Sakahara Interview I Segment 31 (ddr-densho-1000-76-31)
vh Toru Sakahara - Kiyo Sakahara Interview I Segment 31 (ddr-densho-1000-76-31)
Beginnings of Puyallup Valley Japanese American Citizens League

This interview was conducted over two days at the Sakaharas' home.

Bill Hosokawa Interview Segment 7 (ddr-densho-1000-129-7)
vh Bill Hosokawa Interview Segment 7 (ddr-densho-1000-129-7)
Involvement in the Japanese American Citizens League; Nisei identity as a member of white society
Jun Kurumada Interview Segment 17 (ddr-densho-1013-5-17)
vh Jun Kurumada Interview Segment 17 (ddr-densho-1013-5-17)
The Japanese American Citizens League's decision to move the national office to Salt Lake City
Jun Kurumada Interview Segment 11 (ddr-densho-1013-5-11)
vh Jun Kurumada Interview Segment 11 (ddr-densho-1013-5-11)
Establishment of the Reimeikai, a precursor to the Japanese American Citizens League in Utah
Jun Kurumada Interview Segment 12 (ddr-densho-1013-5-12)
vh Jun Kurumada Interview Segment 12 (ddr-densho-1013-5-12)
Role as president of the Salt Lake City JACL chapter following the bombing of Pearl Harbor
Minoru Yasui Interview Segment 9 (ddr-densho-1012-3-9)
vh Minoru Yasui Interview Segment 9 (ddr-densho-1012-3-9)
Thoughts on the Japanese American Citizens League's wartime stance (audio only)

This interview is audio-only. It contains raw footage used by Steven Okazaki in his 1985 film Unfinished Business.

This material is based upon work assisted by a grant from the Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Any opinions, finding, and conclusions or recommendations …

Roger Daniels Interview Segment 4 (ddr-densho-1012-17-4)
vh Roger Daniels Interview Segment 4 (ddr-densho-1012-17-4)
The role of the Japanese American Citizens League after the bombing of Pearl Harbor (audio only)

This interview is audio-only. It contains raw footage used by Steven Okazaki in his 1985 film Unfinished Business.

This material is based upon work assisted by a grant from the Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Any opinions, …

Roger Daniels Interview Segment 6 (ddr-densho-1012-17-6)
vh Roger Daniels Interview Segment 6 (ddr-densho-1012-17-6)
Japanese American community response to the Japanese American Citizens League (audio only)

This interview is audio-only. It contains raw footage used by Steven Okazaki in his 1985 film Unfinished Business.

This material is based upon work assisted by a grant from the Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Any opinions, finding, and conclusions or …

Peter Irons Interview Segment 9 (ddr-densho-1012-16-9)
vh Peter Irons Interview Segment 9 (ddr-densho-1012-16-9)
The Japanese American Citizens League's initial position on Hirabayashi, Korematsu and Yasui (audio only)

This interview is audio-only. It contains raw footage used by Steven Okazaki in his 1985 film Unfinished Business.

This material is based upon work assisted by a grant from the Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Any opinions, finding, and …

William
vh William "Bill" Kaneko Interview Segment 2 (ddr-densho-1020-11-2)
Involvement with the Japanese American Citizens League during the redress movement

(This material is based upon work assisted by a grant from the Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department …

William
vh William "Bill" Kaneko Interview Segment 3 (ddr-densho-1020-11-3)
Working with the Office of Redress Administration through the JACL

(This material is based upon work assisted by a grant from the Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of …

Frank Miyamoto Interview III Segment 10 (ddr-densho-1000-52-10)
vh Frank Miyamoto Interview III Segment 10 (ddr-densho-1000-52-10)
Impact of exclusion on community, rise of the JACL and anti-JACL sentiments
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