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Shigekuni (Thomas and Ruth) Papers
mssShigekuni
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Table of contents
Contributing Institution:
The Huntington Library
Title: Thomas and Ruth Shigekuni papers
Identifier/Call Number: mssShigekuni
Physical Description:
7.84 Linear Feet
(16 boxes)
Date (inclusive): 1910-2019
Abstract: Documents, correspondence, photographs,
clippings, and other materials related to Thomas Nobuyuki Shigekuni and Ruth Yamagishi
Shigekuni, business owners and members of the Los Angeles Japanese American
community.
Language of Material: Materials are in English and
Japanese.
Open for use by qualified researchers and by appointment. Please contact Reader Services at
the Huntington Library for more information.
Restrictions apply to:
Box 4: Amache Co-op Souvenir album is fragile and only available with curatorial
approval.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Audiovisual items: 1 DVD and 2 CDs in box 1; 2 VHS videocassettes in box 3; 1 VHS
videocassette and six 8mm films in box 8; 1 DVD in box 10. Audiovisual items are unavailable
for paging until reformatted. Please contact Reader Services for more information.
The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from
or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The
responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining
necessary permissions rests with the researcher.
[Identification of item]. Thomas and Ruth Shigekuni papers, The Huntington Library, San
Marino, California.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Vicki Wong, August 2023
Thomas Nobuyuki Shigekuni (1929-2019) was an American lawyer, businessman, and civil rights
activist for the Japanese American community. Born in Los Angeles on August 4, 1929, he was
one of four children of Yonetaro (Frank) and Shizuyo (Mary) Shigekuni, immigrants from
Hiroshima, Japan. From 1942 to 1945, the Shigekuni family was incarcerated in Colorado's
Granada War Relocation Center, also known as Camp Amache. As a young man during the Korean
War, Thomas Shigekuni served in the 6004th Air Intelligence Service Squadron in Tokyo,
Japan. After the war, he attended Pepperdine University and later opened Centrose Nursery in
the Compton neighborhood of Los Angeles. In 1966, after graduating from the University of
Southern California School of Law, Shigekuni began practicing law and represented many
Japanese companies' early expansion into the United States. In 1982, he was appointed by
California Governor Jerry Brown to California's State Board of Food and Agriculture, the
first Japanese American to serve. Shigekuni was also involved with several community
organizations, including local chapters of the American Civil Liberties Union, the Japanese
American Citizens League, the Torrance Rotary Club, and the California Association of
Nurserymen.
Ruth Yamagishi Shigekuni was born July 19, 1933, the oldest of Teizo and Fukiko Yamagishi's
three daughters. Teizo (Tacy) Yamagishi was a well-known studio portrait photographer based
in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The Yamagishi family was incarcerated in the Minidoka War
Relocation Center in Hunt, Idaho, from 1942 to 1945. After World War II, the family moved to
Salt Lake City, Utah, and later Oklahoma City where Tacy Studio was founded. During the
Korean War, the family hosted many Japanese American soldiers passing through the city,
including Thomas Shigekuni. In 1951, Ruth enrolled at Pepperdine University and later
transferred to the University of Southern California's art department. Ruth and Thomas
married in 1954 and settled in Palos Verdes Estates, California. The couple had three
daughters, Vicki, Cindy, and Leslie. During their 65-year marriage, the Shigekunis worked
together in wide-ranging activities related to the nursery business and many community
organizations.
Correspondence, photographs, documents, and other materials related to Thomas and Ruth
Shigekuni, first generation Japanese Americans living in the western United States. The
collection documents significant events and themes of the 20th century including the
Japanese American incarceration during World War II, military service in the Korean War, the
growth of the agricultural industry in Southern California, and the lives and communities of
Japanese Americans. Considerable material related to the Granada War Relocation Center, also
known as Camp Amache, documents the experiences of the Shigekuni family and other
incarcerated residents, and includes newsletters and brochures, historical reports,
photographs, reunions, interviews, and publications. There is also correspondence,
photographs, and other documents related to Thomas and Ruth Shigekuni and their families,
particularly Thomas Shigekuni's parents and siblings, and his education and military
service. The collection also includes business records related to Centrose Nursery, the
family business located in the Compton area of Los Angeles, and documentation of Thomas and
Ruth Shigekuni's involvement with professional, community, and religious organizations such
as the California State Board of Food and Agriculture, the Church of Christ, and the
Japanese American Citizens League.
Processed at the time of accessioning by Kelly Kress in September 2023.
Organized in three series:
- Camp Amache/Granada War Relocation Center, 1940s-2018
- Personal and family, 1910-2019
- Business and community activities, 1950s-2016
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Japanese Americans -- California
Japanese Americans -- Civil rights
Japanese Americans -- Forced removal and internment,
1942-1945
Nurseries (Horticulture) -- California
Family papers
Photograph albums
Photographs
Granada
Relocation Center
Pepperdine
University
United States. Air Force.