A Guide to the Willie Funakoshi Photographic Collection, circa 1960s-1980s
Descriptive Summary
Creator:
Willie Funakoshi Photographic Collection, circa 1960s-1980s
Title: Willie Funakoshi Photographic Collection
Dates: circa 1960s-1980s
Language: Materials are written in English.
Accession No: 2014-01
Extent: 4 binders; digital files.
Biographical Note
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.
Scope and Contents
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.
Organization and 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.
Alternate Format Available
All materials have been digitized for greater accessibility.
Access Restrictions
This collection is open for research use. Advance notice required for access. Contact repository for appointment.
Use Restrictions
Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository and the copyright holder.
Index Terms
Subjects (Persons)
Funakoshi, Willie
Matsunaga, Carol
Higurashi, Faith
Isawa, Tracy
Kunitsugu, Carol
Kurashige, Loris
Nakagawa, Jeanne
Tani, Pennu Akemi
Tomita, Tamlyn
Toshiyuki, Sandra
Yamamoto, Lisa
Subjects (Organizations)
Nisei Week
Nisei Week Queen
Subjects
Beauty contestants
Community Organization
Japanese American women
Japanese Americans
Photography
Places
Little Tokyo (Los Angeles, Calif.)
Los Angeles (Calif.)
Preferred Citation
Willie Funakoshi Photographic Collection, circa 1960s-1980s. Visual Communications
Archives and Media Resource Library.
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.
1960 – Q: Pennu Akemi Tani
1972 – Q: Carol Matsunaga
box Box 3/4
1959 – Q: Faith Higurashi
1960 – Q: Pennu Akemi Tani
1965 – Q: Carol Kunitsugu
1972 – Q: Carol Matsunaga
1976 – Q: Sandra Toshiyuki
1977 – Q: Loris Kurashige
box Box 4/4
1976 – Q: Sandra Toshiyuki
1979 – Q: Jeanne Nakagawa
