Offering a window into a critical era in Japanese American life,Pacific Citizenscollects key writings of Larry S. Tajiri, a multitalented journalist, essayist, and popular culture maven. He and his wife, Guyo, who worked by his side, became leading figures in Nisei political life as the central purveyors of news for and about Japanese Americans during World War II, both those confined in government camps and others outside.
The Tajiris made the community newspaper thePacific Citizena forum for liberal and progressive views on politics, civil rights, and democracy, insightfully addressing issues of assimilation, multiracialism, and U.S. foreign relations. Through his editorship of thePacific Citizenas well as in articles and columns in outside media, Larry Tajiri became the Japanese American community's most visible spokesperson, articulating a broad vision of Nisei identity to a varied audience.
In this thoughtfully framed and annotated volume, Greg Robinson interprets and examines the contributions of the Tajiris through a selection of writings, columns, editorials, and correspondence from before, during, and after the war.Pacific Citizenscontextualizes the Tajiris' output, providing a telling portrait of these two dedicated journalists and serving as a reminder of the public value of the ethnic community press.
This collection of the couples' personal letters and articles in the
Pacific Citizens,and other publications is a positive example of how the United States corrects its errors and learns from them. . . . A welcome addition to the University of Illinois Press
Asian American Experienceseries, providing fascinating insights into the struggles of Japanese Americans during the 20th century. --
Journalism History Fills a gap in the historical record by examining the main Japanese American newspaper published outside the camps.
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![Pacific Citizens: Larry and Guyo Tajiri and Japanese American Journalism in the World War II Era [Hardcover]](/itemImage/2/6/2/3/2_5369223.jpg "Pacific Citizens: Larry and Guyo Tajiri and Japanese American Journalism in the World War II Era [Hardcover]")