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Finding Aid for the Ryoichi Fujii Papers, 1919-1999
614
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Title: Ryoichi Fujii Papers,
Date (inclusive): 1919-1999
Collection number: 614
Creator:
Fujii, Ryoichi
Extent:
13 boxes (6.5 linear ft.)
Repository:
University of California, Los Angeles. Library.
Department of Special Collections.
Los Angeles, California 90095-1575
Abstract: Ryoichi Fujii (1905-1983) was a bilingual journalist, political commentator, and political activist. Between 1936 and 1940,
he was a member of the American Communist Party active in Southern California. During the wartime years, Fujii was interned
first at Santa Anita and then at Heart Mountain. As an advocate of cooperation with the American government, he was a key
figure in the resettlement phase of internment, especially in the Chicago area. In 1945, he founded the Chicago Shimpo. As
an editor and writer, he was an outspoken opponent of McCarthyism, white racism, the U.S.-Japan Mutual Security Pact, and
the Vietnam War and a supporter of the civil rights movement. Besides his prolific writings as a newpaperman, he was also
the author of
Shikago Nikkeijinshi (c.1968), a history of Japanese-Americans in Chicago. The collection consists of incoming and outgoing correspondence files,
Newsletters no.1-34 (1944-45), precursor to the
Chicago Shimpo, office records of the Chicago Shimpo Company (1945-1970), clippings of newspaper articles by Fujii, documents and correspondence
relating to Fujii's own postwar deportation proceedings, essays on the wartime internment, U.S.-Japan relations, and other
topics, rough drafts of his autobiography, reports written for the WRA (1942-44), WRA publications and reports, and miscellaneous
papers and personal memorabilia.
Physical location: Stored off-site at SRLF. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact the UCLA Library, Department
of Special Collections Reference Desk for paging information.
Language:
English.
Restrictions on Use and Reproduction
Property rights to the physical object belong to the UCLA Library, Department of Special Collections. Literary rights, including
copyright, are retained by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds
the copyright and pursue the
copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The UC Regents do not hold the copyright.
COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE AT SRLF: Advance notice required for access.
Provenance/Source of Acquisition
Gift of Midori Fujii, 1999.
[Identification of item], Ryoichi Fujii Papers (Collection 614). Department of Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research
Library, University of California, Los Angeles.
UCLA Catalog Record ID:
4660273
Ryoichi Fujii (1905-1983) was a bilingual journalist, political commentator, and political activist. Born as Asano Katsu in
Gifu city in Gifu Prefecture, he was known as “Bob” Fujii in English. A graduate of Doshisha University, Fujii came to the
U.S. as a student in 1931, where he attended Oberlin and received his M.A. in 1934. Between 1936 and 1940, he was a member
of the American Communist Party active in Southern California. During the wartime years, Fujii was interned first at Santa
Anita and then at Heart Mountain. As an advocate of cooperation with the American government, he was a key figure in the resettlement
phase of internment, especially in the Chicago area. In 1945 he founded the
Chicago Shimpo. As an editor and writer, he was an outspoken opponent of McCarthyism, white racism, the U.S.-Japan Mutual Security Pact,
and the Vietnam War and a supporter of the civil rights movement. Besides his prolific writings as a newpaperman, he was also
the author of Shikago Nikkeijinshi, a history of Japanese-Americans in Chicago, published in 1968.
Fujii Ryoichi [Japanese characters](1905-1983) was a bilingual Issei journalist, political commentator, and political activist.
Born as Asano Katsu [Japanese characters] in Gifu city in Gifu Prefecture, he was known as “Bob” Fujii in English. A graduate
of Doshisha University, Fujii came to the United States as a student in 1931. He attended Oberlin College from which he received
a M.A. in 1934. Between 1936 and 1940, he was a member of the American Communist Party active in Southern California.
During the wartime years, he was interned first at Santa Anita and then at Heart Mountain. As an advocate of cooperation with
the American government, he was a key figure in the so-called resettlement phase of internment, especially in the Chicago
area. In 1945 he founded the Chicago Shimpo [Japanese characters]. As an editor and writer, he was an outspoken opponent of
McCarthyism, white racism,
the U.S.-Japan Mutual Security Pact, and the Vietnam War and supporter of the Civil Rights Movement.
Fujii was married to the late Emi Kimura, a San Jose Nisei with whom he had two daughters, Midori and Sono. Besides his prolific
writings as a newspaperman, he was also the author of Shikago Nikkeijinshi [Japanese characters], a history of Japanese-Americans
in Chicago published in 1968.
The Fujii Ryoichi Papers consist of incoming and outgoing correspondence files, including English letters from Dr. Walter
M. Horton, Professor of Theology, Oberlin College; Henry Heineman, Fujii's attorney; Emi Kimura, his wife; Masanori Kojima
and Setsuko Nisei; two close Nisei friends, and other persons; Newsletters, no.1-34 (May 1, 1944-October 14, 1945), the precursor
to the Chicago Shimpo; office records of the Chicago Shimpo Company, including business papers and correspondence file, 1945-1970;
clippings of newspaper articles by Fujii on McCarthyism and HUAAC, American politics and society, and international affairs;
documents and correspondence relating to Fujii's own postwar deportation hearings; Japanese and English essays on the wartime
internment, U.S.-Japan relations, and other topics; rough drafts of English autobiography;
English reports written for the WRA, 1942-1944; WRA publications and reports; and miscellaneous papers and personal memorabilia.
Collection consists of incoming and outgoing correspondence files, including letters from Dr. Walter M. Horton, theology professor
at Oberlin; Henry Heineman, Fujii's attorney; Emi Kimura, his wife; Masanori Kojima and Setsuko Nishi, two close friends,
and other persons; Newsletters no.1-34 (1944-45), precursor to the Chicago Shimpo; office records of the Chicago Shimpo Co.,
including business papers and correspondence files, 1945-1970; clippings of newspaper articles by Fujii on McCarthyism and
HUAAC, American politics and society, and international affairs; documents and correspondence relating to Fujii's own postwar
deportation proceedings; essays on the wartime internment, U.S.-Japan relations, and other topics; rough drafts of his autobiography;
reports written for the WRA, 1942-44; WRA publications and reports; and miscellaneous papers and personal memorabilia.
Arranged in the following series:
- Personal correspondence file (Box 1).
- Biographical material (Box 1).
- Wartime internment and resettlement (Boxes 1-3).
- Deportation hearings and McCarthyism (Boxes 3-5).
- Chicago Shimpo company papers (Boxes 5-6).
- Fujii Ryoichi Chicago Shimpo clippings (Boxes 5-11).
- Miscellaneous papers (Boxes 12-13).
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the repository's online public access catalog.
Fujii, Ryoichi--Archives.
Heart Mountain Relocation Center (Wyo.).
Chicago Shimpo, Inc.
Japanese Americans--Evacuation and relocation, 1942-1945--Archival resources.
Newspaper editors--Archival resources.
Japanese American Research Project Collection (Collection 2010). Available at the Department of Special Collections, UCLA.