San Francisco Japantown Task Force

DATA SHEET

Place: National Japanese American Historical Society

Address: 1684 Post St., San Francisco

Description:

National Japanese American Historical Society, Inc (NJAHS) is a non-profit 501 © 3 membership organization dedicated to the collection, preservation, and authentic interpretation of historical information about the Japanese American experience for the broader national community. NJAHS provides traveling exhibitions to museums, historical societies and community centers. It incorporates the gathering of historical records, oral histories, and objects into a formalized documentation of history. Public programs on topical areas of historic interest are provided. Among the services provided by NJAHS are Archive Services, Oral History, Photo Services, and Class Kits for instructors. NJAHS’s journal Nikkei Heritage is published for its members. Over the years, it has produced some eleven major touring exhibitions, publications, documentary, videos, and educational CD-ROMs.

History:

NJAHS was founded as Go For Broke, Inc. in 1980 to inform the public about the military history of the Nisei Soldier. In 1981, Go For Broke, the Story of the 100^th/442^nd Regimental Combat Team opened at the US Army Museum at the Presidio of San Francisco. The overwhelming success of the exhibition spurred the creation of a Nisei Military Intelligence Service exhibit. Requests for the exhibit poured in from across the country and the exhibit was expanded to include a comprehensive history of the Japanese American experience. In 1983, the organization changed its name to National Japanese American Historical Society, Inc. to reflect that broader purpose. The Smithsonian Institution felt that the Japanese American story was such a powerful reminder of the vigilance necessary to preserve our rights as enumerated in the Constitution that they produced, A More Perfect Union: Japanese Americans and the US Constitution, as a commemorative exhibition for the bicentennial of the US Constitution in 1987. NJAHS was among the leading consultants to organize the nationwide collection of artifacts and memorabilia for the exhibition. Since then, NJAHS produced major museum exhibitions including Strength & Diversity: Japanese American Women 1885 to 1990, LATENT AUGUST, the Legacy of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Diamonds in the Rough, Japanese Americans in Baseball.

In addition in 1997, NJAHS became an official Park Partner with the National Park Service/Golden Gate National Recreation Area, co-sponsoring annual public events and programs at Building 640. In 2002, NJAHS entered into a cooperative agreement with the Presidio Trust and NPS to interpret the Japanese American experience, share cultural resources and conduct a feasibility study for the rehabilitation and reuse of Building 640.

In 1999, NJAHS strategically relocated its headquarters to Japantown across from the Japan Center and Japantown Peace Plaza. Its publicly-accessible storefront gallery and archives along the commercial corridor of on Post Street in San Francisco’s Japantown has become the public’s “gateway” to the Japanese American community engaging the public with exhibitions, public programs on preservation and walking tours.

Significance:

Cultural, Educational, Social

Recognition of Significance:

Mentioned in local newspapers

Source

Rosalyn Tonai, Executive Director, National Japanese American Historical Society

Other Comments:

NJAHS has produced a gallery exhibit Back in the Day: Rebirth and Dispersal of San Francisco’s Japantown, 1945 to 1980, and it is fiscal agent to 2 video productions: Only the Brave (Lane Nishikawa’s film on Nisei soldiers’ Rescue of the Lost Battalion) and Stolen Lives (Kiku & Kimi Iwata documentary on the Japanese Latin American & other Enemy Aliens WWII experience)

Prepared By: Darryl Abantao Date Prepared: 10/10/04