<Begin Segment 19>

AI: That certainly came up when you were talking about after you went to Chicago and then you moved back here to Seattle, and in the '50s you did mention that as far as social ills, you were facing the housing discrimination. And you mentioned that the Quakers were involved in open housing. In what way were the Quakers involved?

AK: Well, they were, I think they were very instrumental in identifying the fact that there is this discrimination going on in housing; and they tried to encourage as much mobility of people of different ethnic groups to go in, encouraging them to move into areas that were so-called white areas. And also, trying to make it comfortable for them, so they would go and check things out. And they'd have many youth organizations, and so it was a good gathering place, being with the Service Committee, they had a little hostel there.

AI: So they brought together a lot of different people, and they helped support some of the protests and marches that you were involved in.

AK: And especially, you know, supportive of all the current issues that were going on. And I think that was really the highlight of my activities. They acted, they didn't just talk. And it was fun.

[Interruption]

AI: So I wanted to then continue, and ask you about some of the actions, especially around the peace issues? Because wasn't it around the early '60s that you were also becoming more and more active in taking action? What was happening at that time?

AK: Well, you know, we were having civil rights marches, and anti-war marches, and I felt real excited about participating in, in the movement. I was especially thrilled because the first march, my husband said, "Don't tell me all of you are going out there?" And he was just kind of grumbling. And I said, "Sure, don't you want to join us?" And he says, "Don't be silly." And when he came home, he noticed that all of us were gone. [Laughs] So he decided to go check out the parade, the march. And he said, there he, he went down, looked, and there was Hugo, and then there was Ruthann, there was Guy, and there was Rollie, and then, and Guy was holding little Marie's hand. And Paul said, "Well, I might as well join them," and he joined us. And that was really exciting.

AI: So you were there as a whole family, in the first march.

AK: Uh-huh. And so he didn't come out and campaign, he didn't come out and say things, I mean he didn't go out and protest and hold banners and stuff, but he was very encouraging and supportive. And when the young kids got involved, he supported them. And I remember somebody called and criticized that Hugo was organizing this march, you know. And Junx says, "That's great." And he says, "Well, if the kids want to come over and have hot dogs and stuff after, they're welcome to come." And so, that was... I felt real, real fortunate that he always gave me the respect to do what I wanted to do although he may not agree. And he was a vet, but he really respected my pacifist, you know, standings.

AI: And it seems like you also raised your children, all of your children, right in the movement for civil rights and for peace. I think someone had mentioned to me that, I think Ruthann had mentioned to me about Freedom School. Can you tell me about the Freedom School?

AK: And I think Sharon was involved in that, too -- Maeda. Anyway, I just felt that, that was just a kind of natural thing to get involved in, and so...

AI: Excuse me, what was it? I think that a lot of people don't know what it was.

AK: And people... well, they went and... were advocating, you know... I'm losing my thoughts. It was a civil rights issue, and...

[Interruption]

AI: Well, when we left off, we were just talking about the Freedom School, and that you had sent your children there. And I was wondering, what did you feel your children got out of that?

AK: Well, I felt that they had to realize that, you know, education involves more than just reading, writing, and arithmetic, that they have to know about our society and about justice. And so I thought it was very important they go to... and I think it was George Howser of the National CORE, Congress of Racial Equality, that was promoting Freedom School in various areas, and it was being held at Madrona Presbyterian Church. So I told the kids that they should go there instead of going to the regular school. And it was Jerry Ware, and... who else was it, Carol Richman, in the neighborhood, and they were taught about civil rights issues and race relations and whatever. And I thought that was very important. And I felt like, I was hoping that something like that would catch in the schools, and everybody would get opportunity to learn about those things. Because that's what education should be all about. And I always felt education was, in the public schools, or schools in general, were so abstract as far as really connecting with real people and real issues.

<End Segment 19> - Copyright © 1997 Densho. All Rights Reserved.