Floyd Mori Papers
Finding aid created by Jamie Henricks.
Japanese American National Museum
© 2019
100 North Central Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Email: collections@janm.org
URL: http://www.janm.org/
Japanese American National Museum. All rights reserved.
Finding aid for the Floyd Mori Papers
Collection number: 2006.17, 2018.20
Title: Floyd Mori papers
Dates: 1970s-2018
Collection number: 2006.17
Collection number: 2018.20
Collection Size:
17.5 linear feet (17 boxes)
Repository:
Japanese American National Museum (Los Angeles, Calif.)
Los Angeles, California 90012
Creator: Mori, Floyd
Abstract: This collection contains materials primarily from Floyd Mori’s time as a California State Assemblyman and his involvement
with the JACL and APAICS. The bulk of the collection is from the late 1970s, and approximately 2000 through 2018. Items
are mostly subject files, correspondence, and legislation (proposed and passed). A number of scrapbooks with photos and newspaper
clippings, as well as ephemera are included.
Physical location: Japanese American National Museum. 100 North Central Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90012.
By appointment only. Please contact the Collections Management and Access Unit (collections@janm.org). Advanced notice is
required.
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).
[Identification of item], Floyd Mori Papers. 2006.17 [or 2018.20], Japanese American National Museum. Los Angeles, CA.
The collection was acquired in 2006 and 2018 as a gift of Floyd Mori.
Items from the first accession (2006.17) were processed initially by museum staff. Further organization and a first finding
aid was created in 2017 by Jamie Henricks. Items from the second accession (2018.20) were initially organized by Mrs. Irene
Mori, and rehoused by museum staff and volunteers. The finding aid was updated in 2019 to include information about the second
accession.
Biographical information is taken from collection materials, the Who’s Who in Asian American Communities (http://wwaac.com/floyd-mori/),
and the staff page on the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies website (http://apaics.org/our-staff/floyd-mori/):
Shiro Floyd Mori was born in Murray, Utah, outside of Salt Lake City on May 30, 1939. His parents were immigrants to the United
States from Kagoshima, Japan. He is the seventh of eight children. When he was a small child, the family bought a farm in
Sandy, Utah, where Floyd attended school. Active in sports, he became an All State High School Baseball Player. After graduation
from Jordan High School, he served for six months on active duty at Fort Ord, California, with the United States Army Reserves.
Floyd entered college at the University of Southern California (USC). He interrupted his college studies to serve a two year
mission to Hawaii for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon). He attended Brigham Young University (BYU)
from which he received a bachelor’s degree with a dual major in Economics and Asian Studies. He received a master’s degree
in Economics and Political Science from BYU. He has attended fellowship programs at Stanford University and UCLA.
Upon completion of college, Floyd taught economics at Chabot College in Hayward, California, for ten years, which led to his
introduction into politics. He ran for Pleasanton, California City Council and won a seat there, based on his outreach work
and position on planned growth for the city. In 1974, he was elected Mayor of Pleasanton, and later won a seat in the California
State Assembly in 1975. He stayed in the Assembly for six years, writing legislation in support of agriculture, decriminalizing
marijuana use, tax reform, and was instrumental in helping pass the Spousal Rape Act (creating laws to fight spousal abuse).
Mori is the former President and CEO of the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS). Previously,
Mori served as the National Executive Director/CEO of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL). He was chair of the National
Coalition of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA) and has been on the Executive Council of the Leadership Conference on Civil and
Human Rights (LCCR). He served four years as National President and four years as a National Vice President of the JACL.
He was the Director of the Office of International Trade in California and worked extensively with Asian American groups and
organizations. He has been an International business consultant and president of Mori-Silva International for many years.
Mori has been a consultant in government relations and served as the Utah Trade Representative to Japan.
Items from the first accession (2006.17) contains materials primarily from Floyd Mori’s time as a California State Assemblyman.
Items are mostly subject files, correspondence, and legislation. Many files relate to proposed legislation, passed legislation,
and correspondence and notes about legislation. Other binders contain campaign information. A number of scrapbooks with
photos and newspaper clippings are also included. A number of the disbound photo binders document JACL activities and events
extensively in the early 2000s. Other binders include Floyd Mori’s personal photos from the 1970s. A few pieces of ephemera
include a name plate, pins, and proclamations; clothing includes three jackets and two shirts.
Items from the second accession (2018.20) are materials from Floyd Mori’s time in Washington DC, where he was the National
President and Executive Director for the JACL, and former President/CEO of APAICS. Materials include correspondence, event
invitations, programs, and other documents and memorabilia.
- Office files and legislation (5 boxes)
- Photo binders (3 boxes)
- Scrapbooks – photos and newspaper clippings (2 boxes)
- Memorabilia (2 boxes)
- Chronological files (5 boxes)
The museum holds collections donated by other political figures, including Sakae Takahashi (a former Hawaiian senator) and
Norman Y. Mineta (former US Congressman and mayor of San Jose).
Original arrangement was preserved.
Mori, Floyd
Japanese Americans
California. Legislature. Assembly
Politicians
Japanese American Citizens' League
Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies
Box 1
Japan trips 1978
Box 1
Correspondence 1981
Box 1
Election and campaign files
Box 1
Assembly records
Box 1
Legislative voting record
Box 2
Legislation 1975-1980
Box 3
Legislation
Box 3-5
Subject files
Box 6-8
Photo and press binders, assembly and JACL
Box 9-10
Scrapbooks
Box 11
3 jackets, 2 shirts
Box 12
Ephemera
Box 13-17
JACL and APAICS chronological files 2005-2018