Finding aid for the Katsuma Mukaeda Papers

Alexandra Giffen
Japanese American National Museum
100 North Central Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Phone: (213) 830-5615
Email: collections@janm.org
URL: http://www.janm.org/
© 2015
Japanese American National Museum. All rights reserved.

Finding aid for the Katsuma Mukaeda Papers

Collection number: 2003.175

Japanese American National Museum

Los Angeles, California
Processed by:
Alexandra Giffen
Date Completed:
September 2015
Encoded by:
Lauren Zuchowski
© 2015 Japanese American National Museum. All rights reserved.

Descriptive Summary

Title: Katsuma Mukaeda papers
Dates: 1941-1996
Bulk Dates: 1941-1960
Collection number: 2003.175
Creator: Mukaeda, Katsuma, 1890-1995
Collection Size: 5 folders, 5 medals, 15 panorama photographs
Repository: Japanese American National Museum (Los Angeles, Calif.)
Los Angeles, California 90012
Abstract: Katsuma Mukaeda was an Issei lawyer, community activist, and long-time president of the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center in Los Angeles, California. The collection consists of personal correspondence, photographs, community service medals, and biographical information spanning from 1941 to 1995.
Physical location: Japanese American National Museum, 100 N Central Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90012.

Access

By appointment only. Please contact the Collections Management and Access Unit by email (collections@janm.org) or phone (213-830-5615).

Publication Rights

All requests for permission to publish, reproduce, or quote from materials in this collection must be submitted to the Collections Management and Access Unit at the Japanese American National Museum (collections@janm.org).

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Katsuma Mukaeda papers. 2003.175, Japanese American National Museum. Los Angeles, CA.

Acquisition Information

Gift of Mr. Richard K. Mukaeda, 2003.

Biography / Administrative History

Katsuma Mukaeda was born on November 19, 1890 in the Kumamoto prefecture of Japan. He immigrated to the United States in 1908 and began working on his uncle’s strawberry farm in Arcadia, California. Following the death of his uncle, Mukaeda, went on to attend the YMCA High School in Los Angeles and later attended college at the University of Southern California and the Southwestern University School of Law. His educational background and bilingual abilities allowed him to become a respected businessman and community leader in pre-War Los Angeles. Prior to the outbreak of World War II, he imported American films into Japan, held leadership positions in the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Central Japanese Association, and served as a court interpreter.
Following the outbreak of World War II, Mukaeda was sent to the Justice Department’s Santa Fe detention facility in 1942. Mukaeda’s bilingual skills allowed him to become a spokesman for fellow inmates and helped him build strong relationships with the Camp’s administration. Following the end of the War, Katsuma Mukaeda was threatened with forced repatriation to Japan. His case was eventually dropped and he was allowed to return to Los Angeles in 1946. Upon returning to Los Angeles, Mukaeda continued to be an active member of the city’s Japanese American community and served as the President of the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center for 20 years. He remained involved in Los Angeles’ Japanese American community until his death in 1995.

Scope and Content of Collection

The Katsuma Mukaeda Papers contain biographical information, personal correspondence, photographs, and 3D objects.

Arrangement

The Katsuma Mukaeda Papers is broken down into the following series and subseries:
Series 1: Personal Papers, 1941-1996
Subseries 1: Biographical Information, 1975-1996
Subseries 2: Correspondence, 1941-1981
Subseries 3: Letters of Reference, 1942-1953
This series contains the personal papers of Katsuma Mukaeda. Subseries 1 includes biographical information created by and for him. Subseries 2 includes his personal correspondence with friends, professional colleagues, and notable figures such as California Governor Edmund (Gerry) Brown and former Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley. Subseries 3 includes letters of reference written for Katsuma Mukaeda by his professional colleagues when Mukaeda was threatened with forced repatriation.
Series 2: Photographs, 1947-1962
This series contains 15 panorama photographs commemorating various banquets. Banquet sponsors include the Japanese American Citizenz League, the Japanese Consulate in LA, the Japanese-American Society of Los Angeles, the Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Southern California, and the Hompa Hongwanji Buddhist Temple. Most are from community organization sponsored banquets, but there is also one in support of Governor Goodwin Knight.
Series 3: 3D Objects, 1975-1986
This series contains five medals awarded to Katsuma Mukaeda. All are enclosed in decorative boxes.

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
Mukaeda, Katsuma, 1890-
Arcadia (Calif.)
Los Angeles (Calif.)
University of Southern California
Southwestern University (Los Angeles, Calif.). School of Law
Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Los Angeles
Central Japanese Association
Japanese American Cultural and Community Center (Los Angeles, Calif.)


 

Series 1 Personal Papers 1941-1996

Series Scope and Content Summary

This series contains the personal papers of Katsuma Mukaeda. Subseries 1 includes biographical information created by and for him. Subseries 2 includes his personal correspondence with friends, professional colleagues, and notable figures such as California Governor Edmund (Gerry) Brown and former Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley. Subseries 3 includes letters of reference written for Katsuma Mukaeda by his professional colleagues when Mukaeda was threatened with forced repatriation.
 

Biographical Information 1975-1996

Subseries Scope and Content Summary

Personal History of Katsuma Mukaeda (1975) Memorial Service for Katsuma Mukaeda (1996)
 

Correspondence 1941-1981

Subseries Scope and Content Summary

Letter from Paul K. Yost (November 24, 1941)
Letter from Harry Chandler (January 20, 1942)
Letter from James A. Blaisdell (May 16, 1944)
Letter from Gordon S. Watkins (November 29, 1945)
Letter from Ivan Williams (February 27, 1946)
Letter from Mike Masaoka (July 8, 1952)
Letter from Julian P. Langston (May 29, 1953)
Letter from Albert Del Guercio (May 29, 1953)
Letter from James A. Blaisdell (June 3, 1953)
Letter from Goodwin J. Knight (October 25, 1954)
Letter from John Y. Inouye (September 17, 1957)
Letter from Wayne Cardon (September 20, 1957)
Letter from Hugh C. Foster (September 15, 1960)
Letter from Adrian Wilson 19[65]
Letter to John Anson Ford (September 16, 1968)
Letter from Evelle J. Younger (May 13, 1970)
Letter from Sam Yorty (May 28, 1970)
Letter from Ernest E. Debs (June 5, 1970)
Letter from Sam Yorty (June 30, 1970)
Letter from William H. Marumoto (November 18, 1970)
Letter from Sam Yorty (November 27, 1970)
Letter from Tom Bradley (October 17, 1975)
Letter from Keiichi Tachibana (October 22, 1975)
Letter from Katsuma Mukaeda to Edmund D. Edelman (December 15, 1978)
Letter to Warren L. Steinberg (August 18, 1980)
Letter from Kats Kunitsugu (July 21, 1981)
 

References 1941-1952

Subseries Scope and Content Summary

Letter from J. Marion Wright (January 22, 1942)
Letter from James A. Blaisdell (November 27, 1945)
Letter from Gordon S. Watkins (November 29, 1945)
Letter from James A. Blaisdell (May 11, 1946)
Letter from Jerry Giesler (May 15, 1946)
Letter from Abner Schreiber (February 18, 1946)
Letter from Julian P. Langston (February 19, 1946)
Letter from Frederick H. Clapp (May 10, 1946)
Letter from J. Marian Wright to J.G. Nott (May 16, 1946)
Letter from John Anson Ford (May 8, 1953)