Bob Suzuki Segment 6

Father's family background: snuck into the U.S. as an illegal immigrant (ddr-densho-1000-452-1) - 0:07:06
Memories of hearing that Pearl Harbor had been bombed (ddr-densho-1000-452-2) - 0:04:22
Childhood memories of the Portland Assembly center and Minidoka concentration camp (ddr-densho-1000-452-3) - 0:03:28
Mother's difficulties with being verbally harassed in camp (ddr-densho-1000-452-4) - 0:06:13
Leaving camp for a rural community outside Spokane, Washington (ddr-densho-1000-452-5) - 0:05:32
Description of family's farm (ddr-densho-1000-452-6) - 0:06:46
Attending UC Berkeley, living in an all-Japanese American boarding house because of housing discrimination (ddr-densho-1000-452-7) - 0:09:32
Visiting Japan for the first time (ddr-densho-1000-452-8) - 0:03:34
Deciding to pursue PhD at Caltech, then joining the faculty at USC (ddr-densho-1000-452-9) - 0:03:28
Getting involved in the Civil Rights Movement and the Title II campaign (ddr-densho-1000-452-10) - 0:05:34
Involvement in the Asian American Movement and the desegregation of the Pasadena Public Schools (ddr-densho-1000-452-11) - 0:04:44
Establishing Asian American Studies Central (ddr-densho-1000-452-12) - 0:08:18
Continuing activism while assistant dean at UMass Amherst (ddr-densho-1000-452-13) - 0:11:43
Returning to California as Dean of Graduate Studies and Research at Cal State LA (ddr-densho-1000-452-14) - 0:03:20
Moving to Cal State Northridge, revamping the student counseling center to serve Asian Americans (ddr-densho-1000-452-15) - 0:08:50
Becoming president at Cal Poly Pomona (ddr-densho-1000-452-16) - 0:05:53
Developing peer-based study programs to establish an International Polytechnic High School (ddr-densho-1000-452-17) - 0:06:46
Raising a family (ddr-densho-1000-452-18) - 0:06:48
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ddr-densho-1000-452-6 ()

Description of family's farm

0:06:46 — Segment 6 of 18

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December 1, 2018

Densho Visual History Collection

Densho

Courtesy of Densho

ddr-densho-1000-452

Bob Suzuki

Bob Suzuki Interview

0:00:00 — 18 segments

1-Dec-18

Alhambra, California

Nisei-han male. Born January 2, 1936, in Portland, Oregon, where father worked for the railroad. During World War II, removed to the Portland Assembly Center, Oregon, and the Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho. After leaving camp, family moved to a small community outside of Spokane, Washington, to farm. Went to UC Berkeley and Caltech, then taught at the Department of Aerospace Engineering at the University of Southern California. He served as chair of the National Education Commission of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), and vice chair of the Community Advisory Committee for the Desegregation of the Pasadena Schools. Held several positions in academic administration including Dean of Graduate Studies and Research at California State University, Los Angeles, Vice President for Academic Affairs at California State University, Northridge, and President of California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.

Brian Niiya, interviewer; Karen Umemoto, interviewer; Janet Chen, videographer

Densho

Courtesy of Densho

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