History of WLA JACL

THE HISTORY OF THE WEST LOS ANGELES JACL CHAPTER

On March 7, 1936, the first Japanese American Citizens League Chapter for the west area of Los Angeles was organized.  It was called the Bay District JACL with its first president being Mr. Frank Mitzusawa.  Mr. George Inagaki succeeded him in 1937 and 1938, Mr. Phillip Nakaoka in 1939, and Mr. Joe Grant Matsuoka in 1940.

As a tri-city chapter, it did not grow much beyond thirty members.  Consequently, Joe Masaoka, George Inagaki, and Henry Fukuhara met to formulate a plan to strengthen JACL in the Santa Monica Bay area.  Their plan to decentralize the Bay District Chapter into the Santa Monica, Venice, and West Los Angeles Chapters was immediately successful.  They picked up over fifty new members because twenty-five members are needed to form a new chapter and obtain a National charter.

Mr. Tom Ikuta, now of San Fernando, became West Los Angeles Chapter’s first president in the year of 1941-42.  Mr. Henry Fukuhara headed the one in Santa Monica and John Aono became president of the Venice chapter.

In the years that followed World War II, especially from the summer of 1946, many Japanese families returned to their former homes.  Also, many families new to the area settled here because of the very favorable living conditions, and West Los Angeles gained tremendously in its Japanese American population.

About this time, the National JACL had launched its legislative program through Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) to gain citizenship for the Issei and remuneration for evacuation losses.

Recognizing that such an ambitious program required full support of all Japanese Americans, local Issei leaders including Giisuke Sakamoto and Kuichiro Nishi, and community-minded Nisei as Mr. Sho Komai, Elmer Uchida, George Sakamoto, Richard Jeniye, and James Kitsuse met to reactivate the West Los Angeles Chapter.  As the result of this meeting, the Chapter was officially reactivated on November 28, 1947 with Sho Komai as its first post-war president.

Twenty years ago the Chapter membership was 167 with 36 special members (Issei).  Last year, the Chapter hit its all time high of 1141 members and has held the distinction of being the larges Pacific Southwest District Council Chapter for the past five or six years.

During the ten years (1956-65), PSWDC presented the “Chapter of the Year” award to West Los Angeles three times, and the Chapter missed winning the award three times by a mere eight points or less.  Last year when the first National JACL “Inagaki Service Award” was presented at the Chicago National Convention, West Los Angeles came in second to Contra Costa Chapter of Northern California district.

In the past fifteen years, the Chapter has nominated two persons for the “Nisei of the Biennium” award.  Both nominees won the title.  The first was George “Callahan” Inagaki in 1956, and the second was Dr. Paul I. Terasaki in 1970.  Callahan is well known among the Issei and Nisei for the many years he has spent to improve the status of Japanese in the United States through JACL.  Dr. Paul Terasaki is world-renowned in his field for his discovery of tissue typing.

The West Los Angeles JACL Chapter is a unique chapter in the National organization.  It not only has the Women’s Auxiliary and the Junior JACL but also has a young adult group.  Especially unique is its Earth Science Section, which is also a member of the American Federation of Mineralogical Societies as well as the California Mineralogical Societies.  Last year Mrs. Toy Sato was elected the President of the California Federation and was the first Nisei to be elected to the high post.  Mr. Takeo Suzuki, UCLA research geologist, established the group in 1956. The Earth Science Section has Sister City affiliation with the Nagoya Rock Appreciation group of 600 members.

The very active Women’s Auxiliary is best known nationally for its famous East-West Flavors Cookbook.  The proceeds from this cookbook have benefitted such organizations as the Keiro Home, UCLA International Student Center, National JACL International Student Center, National JACL youth programs, Yellow Brotherhood, an orphanage in Japan, and many others.

This evening, as a fitting climax to three decades of continuous service to the community and to all Japanese Americans, the West Los Angeles JACL Chapter has the pleasure of welcoming the Honorable Patsy T. Mink, Congresswoman from the state of Hawaii, to join us in our 30^th Anniversary Installation banquet.  The distinguished Congresswoman is honoring the Chapter by being the guest speaker of the evening.

Steve Yagi

2^nd Vice President (Program) 1971