<Begin Segment 18>

JY: For about fifteen years I was in the store fixture business. I manufactured store fixtures, like this cafeteria with eating area, I do that, hotel, a lot of restaurants, lot of restaurants. That's when I was up Port Angeles, doing Denny's. We had, we used to install Denny's every other week. One week we installed Denny, L.A. company would install Denny, and Denny's was moving eastwards. And we did a lot of Elks Club. Elks Club then, no Asians were allowed then, but we did a lot of Elks Club with all the bars, interior work, and this and that. And after the job's all done they have a big open splash we called it "Purveyor's Night." And I'm never invited, what the heck. They said, when I do the job, they says, "You know, Jim, even though whatever you do -- we like you, but you can't come in and join us, because that's the club rules." I says, "Well, I understand that. This is strictly business." But you know, it hurts that all the rest of the guys can go, but I can't go.

So this went on, and I did seven or eight Elks Club. And one of the last one, I was doing Redding Elks Club, and it was a nice job. And I went up there to do the job, and this guy who was running the haberdashery -- we used to call them haberdashery, they call 'em men's clothing now. This is in the late '60s, and I went up there and did the job. And he was, the haberdashery guy was the head of the Elks organization. In the meantime, they're going to have this grand opening that Saturday or Friday, Friday... yeah, Friday. So the head guy from Chicago, the head office -- he had to be from Chicago -- so he was up for the grand opening 'cause, being the head of the Elks organization. So, and I went to the office to see this guy here for something, and I was ready to finish up. And... I forgot his name; anyway, he says, "This is Jim. He's the one putting the bar in there. Did you like the look of the bar?" He says, "Yeah. It looks real good." "Well, I invite him to come to our grand opening." And I know that I'm not allowed, so I said, "Well, don't worry." I said, "I have to go home. I'm too busy, I can't afford to stick around here that long. So let me..." you know. I knew, because that one time. So I left, and following day I went back, talked to him. He was so angry. He talked to head man, the Grand potan, about me coming to the party, and he told him politely he says, "He's not allowed. No Oriental or Asians are allowed in the club, even though as guests." And he was so pushed out. The next day he was just blue, he was just so mad, he says, "Those darn guys. We're all human beings." He was really down-to-earth kind of person, and I think that's the beginning when the change came in Elks Club. A few years after that, the bylaws changed, it was opened up to everybody. But, you know, I didn't want to join the Elks Club, I care less, but then again, to discrimination, I've gone through so much discrimination. This is one of the prize story I think I have as far as discrimination is concerned, the time I was doing all this work. I was doing NCO Clubs, Navy Officer's NCO club. All over the country. I did Whidbey Island and Los Angeles I did, down in San Diego I did the Admiral Kidd Club -- that's the headquarter for the Southern Fleet -- did the (Naval Air) Club, Alameda, Moffet Field. I did all over the country, we went back east. Anyway, I was the general contractor of the Admiral Kidd Club in San Diego. Redo the outside face and redid the whole interior.

[Interruption]

<End Segment 18> - Copyright © 1998 Densho. All Rights Reserved.