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 (1974)
Associations and organizations (861)
The Japanese American Citizens League (2117)

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2117 items

doc Statement by Kimiko Fujii (ddr-densho-433-310)

A statement by Kimiko Fujii about the importance of the Japanese American Citizens League, especially after the trauma of mass incarceration during World War II.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-433-310/

img Picnic guests enjoying a meal (ddr-densho-433-647)

Guests at a JACL picnic at Crow Canyon Park. Duplicate of ddr-densho-433-1237.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-433-647/

doc Letter from Angeline to Kimi Fujii (ddr-densho-433-137)

Angeline writes to Kimi Fujii to congratulate her on being awarded the Hayward Distinguished Citizen Award with a newspaper clipping included.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-433-137/

img Children at a JACL picnic (ddr-densho-433-1232)

Written on verso: JACL picnic, 7/49. Duplicate of ddr-densho-433-640.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-433-1232/

img 4th Biennial National JACL Convention, 1967 (ddr-densho-474-14)

Group photo of 67 people. Some members are holding signs displaying where they came from.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-474-14/

img Seattle JACL 1930 (ddr-densho-474-13)

Group photo of Seattle JACL. Shiro Hashiguchi in back row, 10th from right

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-474-13/

img Seattle Progressive Citizen League Entertainment (ddr-densho-474-1)

Group photo of 29 people

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-474-1/

doc 70th Anniversary of the Japanese Congregational Church (ddr-densho-474-53)

The Japanese Congregational Church's 70th Anniversary book traces the history of JCC within the context of national and local events.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-474-53/

img Adelphons Group Photo (ddr-one-1-3)

Black and white photographic negative of the Adelphons, a young women's service group of the Portland Chapter of the Japanese American Citizen's League, in formal attire. Back Row (left to right): Sumiko “Sue” (Kawasaki) Fujino, unidentified, Minnie (Oyama) Abe, Ochiyo (Nishioka) Hasuike, unidentified, Mary (Furusho) Iwasaki, Tamae "Butch" Yamamoto, Kathryn (Kawata) Niita, Irene (Kawata) Nakagawa, Sophie …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-3/

img Adelphons Group Photo (ddr-one-1-1)

Original black and white photographic print of the Adelphons, a young women's service group of the Portland Chapter of the Japanese American Citizen's League, in formal attire. Back Row (left to right): Sumiko “Sue” (Kawasaki) Fujino, unidentified, Minnie (Oyama) Abe, Ochiyo (Nishioka) Hasuike, unidentified, Mary (Furusho) Iwasaki, Tamae "Butch" Yamamoto, Kathryn (Kawata) Niita, Irene (Kawata) Nakagawa, …

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

img Adelphons Group Photo (ddr-one-1-2)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-2/

doc They Work for Victory: The Story of the Japanese Americans and the War Effort (ddr-densho-1007-1845)

Booklet on the war effort of the Nisei in the United States during World War II.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-1845/

av Interview with Frank Emi, part 4 of 6 (ddr-densho-1007-1795)

Emi discusses the importance of the Fair Play Committee winning their case, the lasting impact of his imprisonment, the loyalty questionnaire, the beginning of the draft resistance movement, why the story of the draft resisters doesn't get as much attention as it deserves, and why the JACL and Japanese American newspapers did not support draft resistance. …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-1795/

av Interview with Frank Emi, part 5 of 6 (ddr-densho-1007-1796)

Emi discusses community organizations and publications that shunned the draft resisters, the statement by the Fair Play Committee that triggered their arrest, what his children know of his time in camp, and why some Nisei and Issei don't discuss what happened during the war. Emi also reads a letter from George Ishikawa leading up to the …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-1796/

doc An Act of Racism clipping (ddr-densho-1007-1023)

Part of a column titled "Santanalyzing"

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-1023/

doc Nisei's Devotion - Beyond the Call of Duty (ddr-densho-1007-1840)

Speech by Tom Sakamoto at the 1988 JACL Installation Dinner describing his experiences growing up in San Jose's Japantown, wartime experience and military service, and the impact of Japanese American treatment during World War II.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-1840/

av Interview with Sen Nishiyama, part 3 of 5 (ddr-densho-1007-1673)

Nishiyama discusses being in Japan during the war, his and Japan's general reactions to the surrender, the American soldiers that came over during the occupation, and the foundation of the Japanese chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League. Loni Ding can be heard asking questions behind the camera. Original title: II JA #7, Sen Nishiyama, Fri. …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-1673/

doc JACL 5th Biennial National Convention program book 1938 (ddr-densho-430-128)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-430-128/

doc JACL Convention program book 1936 (ddr-densho-430-150)

Hide Arai, Seattle WA written on cover. Includes pages of signatures

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-430-150/

img Manzanar plaque (ddr-densho-430-151)

Photograph of a plaque about Manzanar

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-430-151/

doc Kaneji Domoto Diary, 1942 (ddr-densho-329-950)

Kaneji's diary from March 6, 1942 - October 7, 1942, spanning the Domoto family's time from being at home in California to about a month after arrival at Amache. Early pages of the diary resemble a notebook loosely structured by date and containing a mixture of daily activities, accounting, notes from work at the nursery, and, …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-329-950/

doc Yuriko Domoto JACL Membership (ddr-densho-356-742)

Yuriko Domoto Tsukada's JACL Membership card.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-356-742/

doc Meeting Minutes from the Special National Board Meeting of the Japanese American Citizens League on March 8, 1942 (ddr-densho-356-768)

Meeting minutes from the JACL Special Nation Board Meeting. Topics include bids for national membership, future organization and activities, Appointment of national committee chairmen, nomination of officers, Washington representative, Special report on evacuation, and discussion on general evacuation principles.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-356-768/

img JACL National California District Council Meeting Photograph (ddr-densho-356-15)

Panaramic photograph of the Japanese American Citizen's League National California District Council Meeting attendees standing on the steps of a building. Inscribed on the photograph is "J.A.C.L. National California District Council meeting Santa Rosa, California, June 6, 1937"

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-356-15/

doc Meeting Minutes from Committee of Immigrant Serving Agencies meeting on February 20, 1942 (ddr-densho-356-767)

Meeting Minutes from Committee of Immigrant Serving Agencies meeting on February 20, 1942. Topics covered in the meeting include: reading correspondence regarding Japanese Americans, summery of recent board meeting, planned community outreach regarding public sentiment towards Japanese Americans, and planning financial assistance for Japanese Americans.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-356-767/