Esther Klotz collection on Miné Okubo, 1932-2009, undated, bulk 1970-1979
Online content
Collection context
Summary
- Creators:
- Klotz, Esther
- Abstract:
- This collection is comprised of press clippings, correspondence, artwork, brochures, and other material regarding the personal and professional life of Miné Okubo, a Japanese American artist and author. Includes material on Okubo's book Citizen 13660 and the art exhibit Miné Okubo: An American Experience. Mailings from Okubo to personal contacts that contain correspondence, artwork, exhibit brochures, and original envelopes are also included. Additionally, there is material on Japanese American life in the United States that focuses on the World War II internment of Japanese Americans, Miné Okubo's experiences at war relocation camps during World War II, and the history of Japanese Americans in Riverside, California.
- Extent:
- 0.44 linear feet (1 box, 1 flat file folder)
- Language:
- The collection is in English .
- Preferred citation:
-
[identification of item], [date if possible]. Esther Klotz collection on Miné Okubo (MS 094). Special Collections & University Archives, University of California, Riverside.
Background
- Scope and content:
-
This collection is comprised of press clippings, correspondence, artwork, brochures, and other material regarding the personal and professional life of Miné Okubo, a Japanese American artist and author. Includes material on Okubo's book Citizen 13660 and the art exhibit Miné Okubo: An American Experience. Mailings from Okubo to personal contacts that contain correspondence, artwork, exhibit brochures, and original envelopes are also included. Additionally, there is material on Japanese American life in the United States that focuses on the World War II internment of Japanese Americans, Miné Okubo's experiences at war relocation camps during World War II, and the history of Japanese Americans in Riverside, California.
- Biographical / historical:
-
Miné Okubo was born on June 27, 1912 in Riverside, California. Okubo attended Riverside Junior College and went on to receive both a bachelor's and master's degree in Fine Arts from the University of California, Berkeley. In 1938, Okubo was awarded the Bertha Henicke Taussig Traveling Fellowship to study art in Europe for eighteen months. At the conclusion of her fellowship Okubo returned to the United States and accepted a job as an artist through the federal Works Progress Administration in Northern California. The bombing of Pearl Harbor by the Japanese on December 7, 1941 would forever change the course of Okubo's life. On April 24, 1942 she was forced into a Japanese internment camp and had to relocate to the Tanforan Relocation Camp in San Bruno, California and was later transferred to the Central Utah Relocation Camp in Topaz, Utah. While being held at the relocation camp Okubo completed numerous pen and ink drawings that illustrated daily life for the camp's detainees. She would later publish this collection of drawings and sketches in the acclaimed book Citizen 13660 that gave the world insight into the treatment of the Japanese at these camps. Okubo eventually moved to New York, New York and continued her career as an artist creating numerous artistic works throughout her career that included illustrations for several publications such as Fortune, Time, and Life. She also served as an active voice of the Japanese American community and even testified before the Congressional Commission on Wartime Relocation in 1981. Miné Okubo died on February 10, 2001 at the age of 88 in Greenwich Village in New York City.
Date Event 1912 Miné Okubo was born in Riverside, California on June 12th.1935 Okubo graduated from UC Berkeley with a bachelor's degree in Fine Arts.1936 Okubo graduated from UC Berkeley with a master's degree in Fine Arts.1939-1941 Okubo was commissioned by the Federal Arts Program as an artist on public art projects.1942 Okubo was forced to evacuate under Executive Order #9066 as a result of the bombing of Pearl Harbor in World War II.1946 Okubo's Citizen #13660 was published by Columbia University Press.1950-1952 Okubo taught art at University of California, Berkeley.1974 Okubo was named Alumna of the Year at Riverside Community College.An exhibition of Okubo's paintings was held at Riverside Community College.1991 Okubo received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Women's Caucus for Art of the College Art Association.2001 Miné Okubo died in New York, New York on February 10th. - Acquisition information:
- Gift of Esther Klotz, 1974.
- Processing information:
-
Processed by Eric Milenkiewicz, Archives Assistant, 2010.
- Arrangement:
-
This collection is arranged into three series as follows:
- Series 1. Japanese-American life, 1943-1979, undated
- Series 2. Personal correspondence, 1941-1977, undated
- Series 3. Professional career, 1932-2009, undated
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Access and use
- Restrictions:
-
This collection is open for research.
- Terms of access:
-
Copyright Unknown: Some materials in these collections may be protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.). In addition, the reproduction, and/or commercial use, of some materials may be restricted by gift or purchase agreements, donor restrictions, privacy and publicity rights, licensing agreement(s), and/or trademark rights. Distribution or reproduction of materials protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. To the extent other restrictions apply, permission for distribution or reproduction from the applicable rights holder is also required. Responsibility for obtaining permissions, and for any use rests exclusively with the user.
- Preferred citation:
-
[identification of item], [date if possible]. Esther Klotz collection on Miné Okubo (MS 094). Special Collections & University Archives, University of California, Riverside.
- Location of this collection:
-
University of California, Riverside - Special Collections and University ArchivesP.O. Box 5900Riverside, CA 92517-5900, US
- Contact:
- (951) 827-3233