Willie Funakoshi Photographic Collection, circa 1960s-1980s., circa 1960s-1980s

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Summary

Title:
Willie Funakoshi Photographic Collection
Dates:
circa 1960s-1980s
Creators:
Willie Funakoshi Photographic Collection, circa 1960s-1980s
Language:
Materials are written in English.
Preferred citation:

Willie Funakoshi Photographic Collection, circa 1960s-1980s. Visual Communications Archives and Media Resource Library.

Background

Scope and content:

The Willie Funakoshi Photographic Collection,circa 1960s-1980s ,consists of 4 albums of photographs, negatives, and other photographic materials of the Nisei Week Queen and court activities and events. Nisei Week is an annual festival held in Little Tokyo that was first organized by Nisei, or second-generation Japanese Americans, to celebrate their Japanese cultural heritage, and remains an active part of the Japanese American community.

Biographical / historical:

Willie Funakoshi was an active community member in the Little Tokyo neighborhood in Downtown Los Angeles. He and nine other “Nisei Pioneers” returned to Los Angeles after World War II in order to reestablish Little Tokyo's Japanese American community when many Japanese Americans never returned post World War II. Each of the “Pioneers” were involved in different fields, and worked together to help Japanese American community members and families. Funakoshi was an insurance broker, primarily insuring homes and automobiles for the Japanese American community. With photography as a hobby, Funakoshi documented community activities in Little Tokyo. He was involved with Nisei Week from its inception in 1934 well into the 1980s. He also started the LA Japanese Optimists club and was a Rotarian. Funakoshi was active in his community until his death in 1986.

Processing information:

This collection was processed and digitized by Robin Chang and Helen Kim in 2014. Finding aid written and encoded by Robin Chang in August 2014.

Arrangement:

The holdings are organized into 4 boxes, which each hold photos of Nisei Week Queen and court activities between 1959-1984. The boxes are organized into different years of the Nisei Week court activities.

Physical description:
4 binders; digital files.

About this collection guide

Date Encoded:
Original EAD encoding by Robin Chang. August 2014

Access and use

Restrictions:

This collection is open for research use. Advance notice required for access. Contact repository for appointment.

Terms of access:

Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository and the copyright holder.

Preferred citation:

Willie Funakoshi Photographic Collection, circa 1960s-1980s. Visual Communications Archives and Media Resource Library.

Location of this collection:
120 Judge John Aiso Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012, US
Contact:
(213) 680-4462
helen@vconline.org
Website