<Begin Segment 19>

MA: So after his assassination, you became involved with a number of different groups in the Black Liberation movement like the Republic of New Africa and different groups. And I was wondering, you, as an Asian American woman, what did you see as your role in the Black Liberation movement?

YK: Well, actually, I didn't know anything. And I felt my role, I should learn, that's it. Just to learn. 'Cause I didn't know anything. I mean, I was learning a little by going to these groups, and I had, I think, some of the best teachers. I'm trying to think, you would probably even know. I had teachers like... how could I forget? He's written one of the best-known books by a black writer. (Narr. note: It was Harold Cruse, who wrote The Crisis of the Negro Intellectual.)

MA: Oh, I can't think of it off the top of my head.

YK: I got to think of that name, because I began taking classes with him. Oh, I got to tell you afterwards.

MA: Yeah, we can add it in after.

YK: And I also had, Jim Campbell was another great teacher. He was the teacher for the... not Nation of Islam, OAA... Organization of African American Unity.

MA: OAAU.

YK: Yeah. Also, my kids had this guy named Peter Bailey, who was just out here. My two oldest kids had Peter Bailey. I mean, we had top teachers. But I wanted to tell you the teacher I had first, who is famous, and at one point he was almost infamous. Because, well, he taught the truth, I'm sure, because this guy is well-known. And his, what do you call it? Research was so good. But when this guy's book came out, even some black people put it down, I don't know why. Well, I think because this guy, every single black and white leader that had anything to do with the black struggle, he criticized. And this guy is really... I have to let you know. Because he's historically well-known because he was not... exactly an enigma, but he's famous. He's famous in a way because he knew black history, but he was not what you call educated through schools. His education came from his own research work. And he had, and he happened to be a poor guy who became famous when his book... oh, I know you would know the book if I could think of the name of the book. And I could even remember he lived on Fourteenth Street. 'Cause I took extra classes from him because he asked me if I would be his typist. And so I typed -- this guy wrote another book that I don't know why people don't know called Rebellion or Revolution?. And that should be known, but that book is not as well-known.

MA: Well, we can find his name.

YK: Yeah, I'm sure.

MA: I was wondering what all this learning, you know, you were learning about the black struggle in the United States, you were learning about black history, what impact did that have on you and your identity as an Asian American woman?

YK: Well, there's a difference in what Asians went through, what blacks went through. But that racism is something that it seemed like all people of color -- if not people of color, it would be poor people -- have gone through. That this country is not only race-conscious, but class conscious. And I felt that I must learn more about American history in its reality. All the negative things it has done, and why America has been in so many wars from the, of course, from the 1800s, but by late 1890s and through World War I and through the years up to World War II or the Vietnam War. There were many wars that America did not have to go into. But she had a pattern of doing things, and it was always to be the most powerful country in the world. And I think even today, she does have a lot of power. Not what she had before, because I think too many countries do not really trust her. Lot of countries, they're not strong enough to oppose United States, but they don't look on United States as such a great country. I'm just sorry that Japan, it seems, will always side with United States because she is also a capitalist nation.

MA: And imperialist as well.

YK: Yes, imperialist. So yeah, I don't think Japan will change either.

<End Segment 19> - Copyright © 2009 Densho. All Rights Reserved.