JAMsj E-News
Japanese American Museum of San Jose
January 2010 - Vol. 3, Issue 1
In This Issue
JAMsj Reopening in 2010
San Jose Day of Remembrance
Honorary Degrees to Incarcerated Japanese Americans
Volunteer Opportunities
JAMsj Community Calendar
Join Our Mailing List!
Quick Links
JAMsj Home Page
JAMsj Youth Page




Photo: Ko Nishimura
Ko Nishimura is helping implement the new vision for the JAMsj agricultural exhibit, "It's a Farming Life."


JAMsj Reopening in 2010


Photo: Aggie IdemotoMessage from the President

Dr. Aggie Idemoto



The question of the month is: "When will JAMsj be ready to open?" We hope to be able to answer this question soon.  With so much activity within JAMsj and in the larger community, it's easy to get distracted from the main focus: the unveiling of our all-new museum. But we are all committed to maintaining a laser-sharp focus on construction completion and the grand opening. 


Definitive dates for the opening have not  been determined, but if you drive by the Museum site, you will notice that the building exterior has been completed. Our vision of a new Museum, styled as an attractive Japanese farm house, is finally being realized. In addition, because we are currently working  feverishly on the Museum interior, the exciting, new exhibit displays are now taking shape.


In addition to the new facility, JAMsj will expand its area of focus beyond the Santa Clara Valley and reach out to the Greater Bay Area, from South San Francisco to Salinas/Monterey. Watch for signs of this expansion in future exhibits and events.


It's a Farming Life


An exciting example of what you will see within our wider focus is JAMsj's expanded agricultural exhibit, "It's a Farming Life." Upon re-opening, this exhibit will present artifacts and oral histories from the rich agricultural region just south of us -- Morgan Hill to Salinas/Monterey.  The telling of stories and the gathering of artifacts from this area started with a meeting of post-war farmers at the Pacific Grove home of Ko Nishimura.

Read more from Aggie Idemoto...

30th Annual San Jose Day of Remembrance
Image: Day of Remembrance flyer

30th Annual San Jose
Day of Remembrance


Sunday, February 14, 2010
5:30-7:30 pm
Sa
n Jose Buddhist Church Betsuin
640 North Fifth Street,
San Jose, CA  95112


Click here for event info

The San Jose Day of Remembrance commemorates the anniversary of Executive Order 9066 which led to the forced incarceration of 120,000 people of Japanese descent, two-thirds of whom were American citizens.

Thirty years ago, the Nihonmachi Outreach Committee (NOC) organized the San Jose Day of Remembrance event to bring awareness to the plight of former Japanese American incarcerees and to build support for efforts in obtaining an official apology from the United States government. Initially, there was not widespread support for redress and reparations, even within the Japanese American community, but gradually the redress movement gathered momentum. Education and legislative efforts from many organizations and individuals culminated in the signing of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988.


Similar in spirit to the early Day of Remembrance programs, the 2010 Day of Remembrance will describe grassroots and legislative efforts to establish a commission that would investigate and determine the facts surrounding the wartime deportation and incarceration of Japanese Latin Americans. The struggle for a  formal acknowledgment of this great injustice reminds us that there is still much unfinished business related to the redress and reparations.

This year's Day of Remembrance program features special performances by San Jose Taiko and by shakuhachi master, Kanow Matsueda accompanied by Julie Masazuki Sumida on koto. The program also includes Congressman Mike Honda, speakers from the community, and the traditional candlelight procession through historic San Jose Japantown.

At this event, JAMsj will have an exhibit display of the Crystal City camp where many Japanese Latin Americans were incarcerated.


San Jose Day of Remembrance
Honorary Degrees to Japanese Americans Incarcerated During World War II


WW II Nisei College Grads Being Sought

JAMsj is collaborating with San Jose State University (SJSU) and the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California (JCCCNC) in a search for Japanese American students who were unable to complete their college education in a California public post-secondary institution during WWII, such as:

-  University of California (UC)
-  California State University (CSU)
-  California Community College (CCC)

because of the wartime forced removal and incarceration.
 
AB 37 (Warren Furutani), authorizes eligible students to receive an honorary degree from the college in which they were a member of the graduating classes of 1942-1945. Surviving family members are invited to accept an honorary degree on behalf of individuals who are deceased.

To receive an application or to get more information, contact CANiseiProject@jccnc.org or call 415-567-5505. For a local contact:

            JAMsj: Aggie Idemoto (aggieidemoto@gmail.com , 408.294-3138)

            San Jose State University: Bill Nance (bill.nance@sjsu.edu, 408.924-1177)

Former students or their family members will be invited to attend SJSU's graduation commencement ceremony this spring.

Volunteer Opportunities

Photo: volunteers

As we get ready for our grand opening, we will need many more volunteers to help with various activities.  Help is desired in many exciting areas:
  • Docents for the Museum and Japantown tours
  • Event planning
  • Business operations
    • Office manager
    • Administrative assistants
    • Data processing/transcribing
    • Library maintenance
  • Retail operations
    • Museum store manager
    • Online retail development
  • Finance department
    • Accounts payable/receivable
    • Budgeting and finance
  • Facility and grounds maintenance
    • Construction support
    • Gardening maintenance support
  • Marketing communications
  •  IT services
    • Hardware/software management
    • Website maintenance
    • Internet communications implementation
  • Fund development
    • Grant writers
    • Donor program coordinators
    • Corporate and planned giving program coordinators
    • Membership coordinators
  • Exhibit preparation
Click here for more information about our exciting opportunities.

Become a part of the JAMsj family as we enter this exciting period! Contact June Honma at june@jamsj.org or the JAMsj office at 408-294-3138.

JAMsj Community Calendar
JAMsj Logo

Japanese American Museum of San Jose (JAMsj)
535 N. Fifth Street
San Jose, CA 95112
Tel: 408-294-3138
Email: mail@jamsj.org
www.jamsj.org