In 1906, Mr. and Mrs. Yoshizo Sano opened Nihon Gakuin at 1765 Sutter Street, the future and current address of the National Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) building. The 1906 San Francisco Earthquake destroyed the language school but another Japanese language school was rebuilt at the site.
In 1939 the Mihara family purchased the property from the Sanos. During the 1950s, the Miharas began a wholesale import business bringing in Japanese periodicals, stationery and gifts. They published one of the first books on origami in English, a naturalization textbook for immigrants from Japan, and several other non-fiction books. The San Francisco Redevelopment Agency then purchased the property and completely demolished the existing building. Eventually, the property was turned over to the JACL for their new national headquarter offices.
The JACL was founded in 1929 to address issues of discrimination against persons of Japanese ancestry. In California, where the majority of Japanese Americans resided, there were over one hundred statutes that prohibited the rights of anyone of Japanese ancestry. Having survived the internment years, the JACL began efforts to overturn the anti-Asian legislation starting in 1946 to abolish California’s Alien Land Law that prohibited Asian immigrants from owning land. The JACL led the effort to obtain the right of Japanese immigrants to become naturalized citizens, and in 1952 the Walter-McCarran Act was passed over the veto of President Truman. Today the JACL works with other Asian American civil rights organizations, with a focus on education, community empowerment, and advocates for the rights of disadvantaged segments of our society.
With contributions from Nob Mihara and Greg Marutani.
In 1906, Mr. and Mrs. Yoshizo Sano opened Nihon Gakuin at 1765 Sutter Street, the future and current address of the National Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) building. The 1906 San Francisco Earthquake destroyed the language school but another Japanese language school was rebuilt at the site.
In 1939 the Mihara family purchased the property from the Sanos. During the 1950s, the Miharas began a wholesale import business bringing in Japanese periodicals, stationery and gifts. They published one of the first books on origami in English, a naturalization textbook for immigrants from Japan, and several other non-fiction books. The San Francisco Redevelopment Agency then purchased the property and completely demolished the existing building. Eventually, the property was turned over to the JACL for their new national headquarter offices.