Densho Digital Archive - Sumiye Takeno Interview (denshovh-tsumiye-01-0020)

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RP: Now Roy worked on the Rocky Shimpo. He worked in the English language section of the paper?

ST: Uh-huh, yeah, English.

RP: So I assume that his Japanese was never very, he was never fluent.

ST: He read some Japanese, but not enough. But that was okay because his job was the English section. And so, so as I said, he made me call most of them to get information. And then he relied on my information to write his story.

RP: Yeah, that's a lot, that's the groundwork for...

ST: And, and if he wanted more he would call himself. More pertinent questions, he would call himself. But at least he'd get started on it. And it saved him a lot of time, too.

RP: So did you have any issues of prejudice and discrimination come up during the time that you spent in Denver?

ST: Uh, you mean issues like personal issues or...

RP: Personally, or...

ST: Community issues? I guess there was, but I, if you ask me right now I can't think of it. There were a lot of issues at the time, especially because people were new here. And they were curious about a lotta things, or wanted the information. So, much of them, I couldn't help them. But some of them he would have to take care of it. So I was pretty much a part of it for a while. And it was fun.

RP: Tell us about Roy, the person, during your marriage. What kind of personality did he have?

ST: My husband?

RP: Yeah.

ST: He was a little difficult, wasn't he? [Laughs] But, but he was willing to listen. But he was a little difficult person. He had a strong personality. So I had to be kind of careful.

RP: Would you say his personality kind of was similar to your father's personality in some ways?

ST: What?

RP: Your father's personality being strict and very --

ST: Yeah, he was very strict.

RP: -- traditional.

ST: Yes, uh-huh. He doesn't want any wrong answers or... answers have to be right. So...

RP: Accurate information.

ST: Yeah, uh-huh, that's right. Accurate, otherwise he'll be in trouble.

RP: Right.

ST: Yeah, so... that part he was very strict. So, so I had to be careful, too. But, but it was nice to know he trusted me enough to talk to all these people.

RP: Yeah.

ST: I think he, he enjoyed writing more than contacting people. I think that was his thing.

RP: There was another very influential Japanese American journalist in...

ST: He's what?

RP: I'm sorry, there was another, a very important Japanese American journalist in Denver?

ST: Oh, Bill Hosokawa.

RP: Bill Hosokawa. And I'm just curious as to Roy's... what was the extent of Roy's relationship with Bill?

ST: It was... what do you say? Okay.

RP: Acquaintances?

ST: Uh-huh. At first it was awkward.

RP: How? Why was it awkward?

ST: Because I think both of them were trying to do the same thing. And, and I must say I think Bill is a better writer. He really is. But, you can't be thinking about that, you know. You have, just have to do your best. And, and I eventually... and I don't think they were on speaking terms because of that. But eventually, at least I tried hard to be friendly with Bill and tried to make it a little easier for us.

RP: So they had two different approaches to their writing.

ST: Yes. Oh yes. Undoubtedly Bill was a better writer and maybe Bill thought that maybe he should be the one to be writing, I don't know. But of course he was writing for the Post, see.

RP: Right. The Denver Post.

ST: Uh-huh.

RP: Was the Rocky Shimpo the, the only Japanese newspaper at that time, when you first came to Denver?

ST: It was strictly Japanese paper did you just say?

RP: Oh, was it, was the Rocky Shimpo the only Japanese paper?

ST: No, there was the Colorado Times. And a person by name of Henry, no, Tamura? I forgot his first name. Frank. He was running it. Of course, Frank was younger than Roy. And of course there is no competition. Roy just does whatever he has to do and Frank is doing whatever he has to do. But there was, at the beginning, there was a little bit something.

RP: There was.

ST: Because it would be a competition. I think that was kind of ironed out.

RP: And Roy wrote for the Rocky Shimpo for most of his time in Denver?

ST: Yes, until his death.

RP: Really? He was writing...

ST: Uh-huh. Actually, towards the end he was just writing an article. And, and that's how he wanted it. He, he didn't want to be responsible for that whole English section.

RP: Right. He'd be like guest columnist or...

ST: Yes, uh-huh. And they wanted that, too, so it worked out fine. So, so I think he was more relieved and I was relieved, too, because I didn't have to run around getting stories. [Laughs]