The Seattle Chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League served as the voice of the Nisei (second generation Japanese). The members (primarily professionals) tended to be highly nationalistic and proud of their American citizenship, promoting good citizenship and active participation in civic life. Organized 1921, as Seattle Progressive Citizens' League, it became the Seattle Chapter of national Japanese American Citizens League in 1930.
Following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the Seattle Japanese American Citizens League met to organize an Emergency Defense Council composed of the presidents of many Nisei organizations. When incarceration became inevitable, the Seattle Japanese American Citizens League began to cooperate with the War Relocation Authority in the removal and in governing the Puyallup Assembly Center (Camp Harmony). James Sakamoto, Chairman of the Emergency Defense Council, became Chief Supervisor of the Japanese staff at the Puyllup Assembly Center.
The Chapter was inactive during the period immediately following the war, but was formally reactivated in 1948. During the 1950s and 1960s, the Seattle Japanese American Citizens League became involved in civil and human rights issues. Chapter members participated in the statewide effort to eliminate from the Washington state constitution the 1899 Alien Land Law which prohibited Asians from owning land. In 1966, SJR 20 passes as an amendment to the constitution. In 1962 the seventeenth National Japanese American Citizens League Biennial Convention was held in Seattle. Minoru Tsubota was president circa 1960, Minoru Masuda in 1971, Chuck Kato in 1980, and Lloyd Hara in 1981.
From the guide to the Japanese American Citizens League, Seattle Chapter records, 1921-2000, (University of Washington Libraries Special Collections)
