Mcgill University Archives Mcgill University, Montreal Canada
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McGill University Archives McGill University, Montreal Canada MG4247 Japanese Canadian History and Archives Committee of the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre of Montréal Collection Accession 2005-0236 This is a guide to one of the collections held by the McGill University Archives, McGill University. Visit the McGill University Archives homepage (http://www.mcgill.ca/archives) for more information Japanese Canadian History and Archives Committee of the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre of Montréal Collection MG4247 1941 – 2007 10.2 m. of textual records 150 audio tapes 435 photos Administrative History: The Japanese Canadian History and Archives Committee (JCHAC) is part of the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre of Montréal (JCCCM), a non-profit and non- denominational organization, which was incorporated on November 26, 1975 with a starting business date of May 1, 1976. Kim Nakashima was the organization’s first president. In 1979 the JCCCM began running drop-in programmes for senior citizens; however, it was not until 1982 that the Japanese Canadian History and Archives Committee began actively preserving the history of the community in both Montréal and Canada. The mandate of this non-profit organization is not only to maintain a community centre in Montréal, but also to initiate, develop and promote social, cultural, educational and charitable activities for community members. Its administrative structure consists of a President, Vice President, treasurer, Board of Directors, various committees, including the History and Archives, as well as a council of representatives of different groups active in the community. The centre has received government grants for employment creation which have helped to finance its projects and activities. Although the chief Japanese Canadian organization in Montréal, the JCCCM had close ties with the National Association of Japanese Canadians (NAJC) through the Québec Chapter. In fact, many members of the JCCCM have been active in NAJC organizations, including Rei Nakashima, who served as the president of both organizations; as such, the JCHAC archives has a substantial collection of records recording NAJC activities, both at provincial and national levels. The archives also contains local and national records from the National Japanese Canadian Centennial Society (JCCS), under the leadership of Roger Obata, chairperson, and Toyo Takata, executive director, which was established in order to coordinate centennial celebration activities across Canada to commemorate the 100th anniversary (1977) of the arrival of the first Japanese individual, Manzo Nagano, in Canada. Additionally, many members of the JCCCM work on the community’s newsletter, The Montréal Bulletin, of which the archives has a complete set of originals. The History and Archives Committee falls under the aegis of the JCCCM and is arranged horizontally by function. It could best be characterized as having a fluid reporting structure. Since the inception of the JCCCM, several activities and projects initiated by the History and Archives Committee have aimed at preserving Japanese Canadian history. Starting in 1982, older members of the community were interviewed by students, under the supervision of anthropologist Keibo Oiwa, funded by the federal government’s Summer Employment Programme (Article 38) and biographical information was compiled. Additionally, three or four exhibitions at a college and at a shopping centre have been carried out; however, since Redress in 1988 there have been no further large scale exhibitions. Guest speakers have, on occasion, delivered presentations at local schools to promote awareness of the community in Montréal. The History and Archives Committee has also produced two publications on the history of Japanese Canadians in Canada, Repartir à Zéro, published in 1987 to accompany the photo exhibit of the same name, focusing specifically on the history of Japanese Canadians in Montréal; and Ganbari: Reclaiming our Home, published in 1998 to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Redress, and serving as an update for information on the Japanese Canadian Community in Montréal. Scope and content note: The collection documents the experiences of Japanese Canadians in Montréal and in Canada, as well as Japanese Canadian cultural and social contributions, over an approximately 60 year period, mainly 1940-2000. The collection contains records reflecting the activities of the JCCCM organization and often related to individuals and/or families, and includes correspondence, photographs, and a variety of printed materials. The collection also contains detailed biographical records, compiled during the 1980s, related to the Issei, Nisei, and Sansei as well as other non-Japanese individuals active in the community. In addition, there are approximately 150 tape recordings, transcripts, and oral histories; art work and cultural contributions done by members of the Japanese community; directories, newspapers, publications, pamphlets, and records; administrative records of the NAJC chapter in Montréal; as well as local and national NAJC and JCCS records.. The series consist of 1) publications; 2) biographical files; 3) general subject files; 4) Japanese Canadian Centennial Society (JCCS) files; and 5) NAJC/ Redress files. Many of the files are arranged alphabetically or by subject. Custodial History: The collection was transferred by Rei Nakashima, on October 2, 2005. These records, created by the History and Archives committee of the JCCCM, had been stored in Rei Nakashima’s house prior to their transfer to the McGill University Archives. Languages: Mainly English, with some Japanese and French. Title: Based on the contents of the collection. Finding Aid: Box lists available. 2 3 Fonds: Japanese Canadian History Archives Committee of the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre of Montréal Collection MG 4247 Acc. 2005-0236 File# Description Year From Year To Cont Series 1 Pan American Nikkei Conference ca 1980 ca 1980 1 Subject Files 2 Postal Service 1946 1946 1 Subject Files 3 Quebec Committee for Relief in Japan 1946 1946 1 Subject Files 4 Quebec- Japan Business Forum- Montreal 1992 1992 1 Subject Files 5 Race Relations; Racism; CRARR ca 1974 1995 1 Subject Files 6 Radio Broadcasts in Japanese 1974 1974 1 Subject Files 7 Relocation or "Reparation" 1947 1947 1 Subject Files 8 Rice Distribution- Wartime 1946 1947 1 Subject Files 9 Rice-Growing- Ontario 1958 1958 1 Subject Files 10 Roman Catholic Church- Support of Japanese Canadians- Montreal 1945 1945 1 Subject Files Royal Canadian Mounted Police- Evacuation Orders- "Notice to 11 Enemy Aliens" Feb. 17, 1942 and others 1942 1942 1 Subject Files 12 Royal Canadian Mounted Police- Japanese Canadians in Quebec 1943 1946 1 Subject Files Royal Commission on Japanese Canadian Property- National JCCA 13 Submission Nov. 12, 1948 1948 nd 1 Subject Files 14 Saint Raphael House (Sisters of Christ the King) 1944 1986 1 Subject Files Sandon Internment Camp- Study: "Adequate Family Living Study," 15 compiled by Eiko Henmi 1942 1942 1 Subject Files 16 Sansei 1979 1987 1 Subject Files Scrapbook 1942 S. Hemney, Sandon, BC- Collection of Newspaper 17 Clippings, Various Subjects 1942 1943 1 Subject Files Seniors Committee- National Association of Japanese Canadians, 18 sponsor; 1988 (Included Seniors' Conference, 1989) 1988 1989 1 Subject Files 19 Seniors Residences ca 1960 1975 1 Subject Files 20 Sports and Games 1952 2003 1 Subject Files 21 Steveston Museum 1979 1980 1 Subject Files 22 Survey- 1945- Public Attitudes to Japanese Canadians nd nd 1 Subject Files Survey- 1953- "Japanese in Montreal ; an Ecological and Sociological 23 Survey" by Kuni Uchida and Rei Nishio. Sponsor: JCCA Montreal 1953 1953 1 Subject Files Survey- 1978- "Montreal Japanese-Canadian Community Survey". 24 Sponsor: JCCCM 1978 1978 1 Subject Files Survey- 1981-1982- Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre of Montreal 25 by Concordia University Students 1981 1982 1 Subject Files 26 Survey- no date on Japanese Canadian Community- Montreal nd nd 1 Subject Files Swiss Consul-General - Wartime Protection of Japanese Interests in 27 Canada nd nd 1 Subject Files 28 Symposium - Japanese Canadians in Quebec 1989 1999 1 Subject Files 29 Tashme Internment Camp 1942 1944 1 Subject Files 30 Tribune Juive 1987 1987 1 Subject Files Comment codes: R- Architectural Plans; G- Artifacts; A - Audio tapes; B - Printed; P - Photos; D - Potential destruction; N- Conservation Needed 1 of 29 Fonds: Japanese Canadian History Archives Committee of the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre of Montréal Collection MG 4247 Acc. 2005-0236 File# Description Year From Year To Cont Series 31 University of British Columbia - Archives & Library 1975 1987 1 Subject Files 32 Vancouver Buddhist Church 1990 1990 1 Subject Files 33 Victoria, B.C. 1976 1976 1 Subject Files 34 Visitors from Japan to Canada 1953 1975 1 Subject Files 35 War Measures Act Conference 1977 1977 1 Subject Files 36 War Measures Act - Press Articles 1971 1990 1 Subject Files 37 War Veterans (includes lists of volunteers by name) 1945 2000 1 Subject Files 38 Women Immigrants from Japan (study by: Diane Bouffard, UQAM) 1991 1991 1 Subject Files 39 Women's Role in Japanese Canadian History 1979 1995 1 Subject Files 40 YMCA & YWCA 1944 1944 1 Subject Files 1 NAJC Seniors - Correspondence, Report, Drafts 1988 1989 2 NAJC/Redress 2 Rosie's Café (Play) - Newspaper articles (photocopies) 1990 1990 2 NAJC/Redress 2 JPZ Canadians: A Historical Perspective (Eng. + Fr.) 2 NAJC/Redress 3 NAJC Petitions mid-1980's