Inventory of the Gordan K. Chapman: Protestant Church Commission for Japanese Service Collection
Kathleen O'Connor and David Stiver
Graduate Theological Union Archives
Graduate Theological Union
2400 Ridge Road
Berkeley, California, 94709
Phone: (510) 649-2523/2501
Email: archives@gtu.edu
URL: http://gtu.edu/library/information/special-collections
© 2015
Graduate Theological Union. All rights reserved.
Gordan K. Chapman: Protestant Church Commission for Japanese Service
Collection number: GTU 2002-9-01
Graduate Theological Union Archives
Graduate Theological Union
Berkeley, California
- Processed by:
- Kathleen O'Connor and David Stiver
- Date Completed:
- February 2003, June 2015
- Encoded by:
- UCSC OAC Unit, David Stiver
© 2006 and 2015 Graduate Theological Union. All rights reserved.
Descriptive Summary
Title: Gordon K. Chapman: Protestant Church Commission for Japanese Service
Dates: 1941-1947
Collection number: GTU 2002-9-01
Collector:
Chapman, Gordon K.
Collection Size:
1 record box and 4 half boxes
3 linear ft.
Repository: The Graduate Theological Union. Library.
Abstract: The Protestant Church Commission for Japanese Service was set-up in response to Executive Order 9066 ordering all Japanese-American
citizens and aliens evacuated from the U.S. West Coast and relocated to centers in the interior. The Commission acted as
a conduit of information among the camp churches, various denominational headquarters, and the wider American culture. Toward
the end of the War, the Commission's main activity was to aid returning evacuees, clergy in resuming their interrupted ministries,
and lay people with their lives. Gordon K. Chapman, a Presbyterian minister with extensive Japanese missionary experience,
was the Executive Director from start to finish.
Physical location: Shelf Location 3/I/top
Languages:
Languages represented in the collection:
English
Access
Collection is open for research.
Publication Rights
Copyright has not been assigned to The Graduate Theological Union. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts
must be submitted in writing to the Archivist. Permission for publication is given on behalf of The Graduate Theological Union
as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must
also be obtained by the reader.
Preferred Citation
Gordon K. Chapman: Protestant Church Commission for Japanese Service, GTU 2002-9-01. Graduate Theological Union Archives,
Berkeley, CA.
Acquisition Information
Received in 2000 as part of the Lester Suzuki Collection (GTU 2000-11-02). Four additional boxes from San Francisco Theological
Seminary were added in May 2015 to bring the two related collections together at the main library.
Biography/Administrative History
The Protestant Church Commission for Japanese Service was set up in response to Executive Order 9066 ordering all Japanese-American
citizens and aliens evacuated from the U.S. West Coast and relocated to centers in the interior. It was first named the Western
Area Protestant Church Commission for Wartime Japanese Service. The majority of the members were Protestant ministers who
had served as missionaries in Japan for considerable amounts of time, several from about 1900 on.
The Commission was headquartered in Berkeley, California, for the first few months during 1941-42. It then moved to San
Francisco. As the government evacuation orders were being enforced, Japanese and Japanese-American ministers, working with
their congregations in the assembly centers (transit camps), appealed to their Caucasian colleagues for assistance. The Commission
was formed for the purpose of assisting the Japanese and Japanese-American ministers with their pastoral duties in the relocation
centers (commonly know as camps).
The U.S. War Relocation Authority authorized church activities, but would give no monetary or material assistance. As the
internees were relocated from the assembly centers to the camps, various Protestant churches and denominations came together
to lend assistance. These activities included:
1) staffing stationary camp churches, 2) designing and building churches, 3) setting up preaching missions to the camp churches,
4) assisting returning missionaries from Japan to seek employment in the camp churches, or with the WRA as teachers or social
workers, 5) setting up denominational conferences for ministers in the camps, and 6) other activities such as funding drives,
and providing Bibles and other religious tracts.
As the War continued, the Commission acted as a conduit of information among the camp churches, various denominational headquarters,
and the wider American culture. Toward the end of the War, the Commission's main activity was to aid returning evacuees,
clergy in resuming their interrupted ministries, lay people their lives. Discussions centered on whether or not it was better
for returnees to be integrated as members of the local congregations or form separate ethnic congregations as they had been
prior to the War. During the spring and summer of 1945 as the camps were being emptied, the Commission recruited divinity
students as volunteers to minister to the dwindling numbers of internees. The Commission ceased operation in late 1945.
Gordon K. Chapman, a Presbyterian minister with extensive Japanese missionary experience, was the Executive Director from
start to finish. There was one paid secretary. All expenses were borne by the various Protestant Churches through monetary
allocations, in-kind loan of ministers, or sponsoring fund raising activities.
Scope and Content of Collection
The Protestant Church Commission for Japanese Service was set-up in response to Executive Order 9066 ordering all Japanese-American
citizens and aliens evacuated from the U.S. West Coast and relocated to centers in the interior. The Commission acted as
a conduit of information among the camp churches, various denominational headquarters, and the wider American culture. Toward
the end of the War, the Commission's main activity was to aid returning evacuees, clergy in resuming their interrupted ministries,
and lay people with their lives. Gordon K. Chapman, a Presbyterian minister with extensive Japanese missionary experience,
was the Executive Director from start to finish.
Mrs. Lester Suzuki, donor of the Lester Suzuki Collection reported that Gordon Chapman gave the collection to Rev. Suzuki
when Suzuki was working on his Doctor of Ministry thesis, Ministry in the Japanese Assembly Centers and Relocation Centers
of World War II (San Francisco Theological Seminary, San Anselmo, CA, 1975). The thesis was later published: Ministry in
the Assembly and Relocation Centers of World War II (Berkeley, Calif.: Yardbird Publishing Co., 1979), GTU Library Call No.
BR563 J35 S89.
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in
the library's online public access catalog.
Japanese Americans--Evacuation and Relocation, 1942-1945--History--Sources
Japanese Americans--Evacuation and Relocation, 1942-1945--Churches
Church Work with Asian Americans--History--Sources
Japanese Americans--Religious life
Bovenkerk, Henry George, 1904-
Burnett, Clyde J.
Cobb, John B.
Evans, Elizabeth M.
Fisher, Galen Merriam, 1873-1955
Fisher, Royal H.
French, Holland
Gillett, Clarence S.
Hawes, Hampton B.
Hannaford, Howard Dunlop, 1887-1973
Long, Ward Willis, 1880-
Noble, Douglas W.
Reifsnider, Charles S.
Smith, Frank Herron
Sugioka, James
Unoura, Kijiro
Wickizer, Willard, M., 1899-1974
Related Material
Note
Related Collections in the Graduate Theological Union Archives
- J. Stillson Judah: Japanese Camp Books Collection, GTU 2001-3-01.
- Japanese-American Internment Camp Worship Bulletins and Newsletters Collection, GTU 94-9-02.
- Lester E. Suzuki Collection, GTU 2000-11-02
- The Sunday Before: Sermons by Pacific Coast Pastors of the Japanese Race on the Sunday Before Evacuation to Assembly Centers
in the Late Spring of 1942, GTU 97-5-02.
Note
Related Collection at the University of California at Los Angeles
- The Clarence Gillett Papers, 1942-45, Collection number 130, UCLA Library, Department of Special Collections, Manuscripts
Division.
Series 1
Commissioners' and Churches' Program Correspondence
1941-1947
Physical Description: 19 folders
Series Scope and Content Summary
This Series contains the Commission's official correspondence. Commission meeting minutes are scattered through the series
(see Miscellanous series). Most of the correspondence is concerned with the following tasks: how to get various ministers
and traveling preachers assigned to the camps; seeking approval from both the congregations and the WRA; how to get suitable
housing and accommodations for Caucasian ministers; and making and securing travel arrangements. Most of these folders contain
extensive personal and personnel information on ministers, as well as others seeking various employment opportunities. Individual
denominations requested the assistance of the Commission to place their ministers. Of special note - in the beginning, the
U.S. Army and the WRA were reluctant to allow religious workers in the camps.
Arrangement
Arranged alphabetically by name of correspondent.
box-folder 1:1
Bovenkerk, Henry G. (Hiene), Presbyterian
1941-1945
box-folder 1:2
Burnett, Clyde J., Free Methodist
1943-45
box-folder 1:3
Chapman, E.N., Presbyterian
1945
box-folder 1:4
Cobb, John B., Methodist
1945-1946
box-folder 1:5
Evans, Elizabeth M., Presbyterian
1942-1943
box-folder 1:6
Fisher, Galen M., YMCA
1942-1945
box-folder 1:7
Fisher, Royal H. (Roy), Baptist
1943-1945
box-folder 1:8
French, Holland, Salvation Army
1942-1943
box-folder 1:9
Gillett, Clarence S., Congregational
1942-1947
box-folder 1:10
Hawes, Hampton B., Presbyterian
1945
box-folder 1:11
Hannaford, Howard D., Presbyterian
1942-1945
box-folder 1:12
Long, Ward Willis, Presbyterian
1944
box-folder 1:13
Noble, Douglas W., Presbyterian
1945
box-folder 1:14-15
Reifsnider, Charles S., Episcopal
1942-1946
box-folder 1:16
Sutaw, Masao, YMCA
1943-1945
box-folder 1:17
Smith, Dr. Frank Herron, Methodist
1942-1945
box-folder 1:18
Sugioka, James and Wickizer, Willard, Disciples of Christ
1942-1945
Series 2
Organizational Correspondence
1942-1947
Physical Description: 24 folders
Series Scope and Content Summary
The over-riding concern of the churches and the individuals was getting employment in the camps. Many of the Caucasian missionaries
returned on the Swedish exchange ship SS Gripsholm. Some of the other topics covered in this correspondence are: differences
in missionary work among the Japanese and Japanese-Americans, placement of women ministers or teachers in the camps, and congregational
integration or separation issues at the end of the War. Women teachers' and ministers' resumes are scattered throughout the
series.
Most folders consist of two parts: first, correspondence with denominational headquarters or local congregations, and second,
individual ministers and individual men and women seeking employment opportunities in the camps.
Arrangement
Arranged in alphabetical order by denomination.
box-folder 1:22-23
Congregational
1942
1943
1945
box-folder 1:24-25
Disciples of Christ
1942-1944
box-folder 1:28
Evangelical Reformed
1942-1944
box-folder 1:33
Japan Evangelical Band
1942-1944
box-folder 1:37
Oriental Missionary Society
1942
box-folder 1:38
Presbyterian Board, Foreign Missions
1942-1947
box-folder 1:40
Reformed Church of America (Dutch)
1942-1943
box-folder 1:43
Southern Presbyterian
1942
Series 3
Internal Commission Administration Correspondence
1942-45
Physical Description: 10 folders
Series Scope and Content Summary
These records highlight the Commission's internal workings. The main subjects are: the design and building of churches in
the camps, setting up preaching missions (included are prayers in English and Japanese), equipment and book requests for the
camps, correspondence from concerned people in the wider community, requests for information from school children and teachers,
conferences for ministers, and Summer Students Services in 1945.
Arrangement
Arranged in alphabetical order by subject.
box-folder 1:46
Preaching Missions (Bader)
1943-1944
box-folder 1:48
Center Churches (War Relocation Authority)
1942-1943
box-folder 1:49
Requests for Publicity Materials
1943-1945
box-folder 1:51
Church Buildings (WRA)
1942-1943
box-folder 1:53
Student Summer Services Relocation Centers
1945
box-folder 1:54
Theological Library Project
1942-1945
box-folder 1:55
Tracts and Publishers
1944-1945
Series 4
Relocation Correspondence
1942-45
Physical Description: 14 folders
box-folder 2:1
Japanese-American Presbyterians Students, A-I
1942-45
box-folder 2:2
Japanese-American Presbyterians Students, K-N
1942-45
box-folder 2:3
Japanese-American Presbyterians Students, O-Z
1942-45
box-folder 2:4
Japanese-American, Various States, A-I
1942-45
box-folder 2:5
Japanese-American, Various States, M-N
1942-45
box-folder 2:6
Japanese-American, Various States, O-W
1942-45
box-folder 2:7
Asajiro Kanegai in New Mexico
1942-45
box-folder 2:8
Japanese-American, Relocation
1942-45
box-folder 5:1
Correspondence relocation students, A-H
1943-46
box-folder 5:2
Correspondence relocation students, I
1943-46
box-folder 5:3
Correspondence relocation students, K
1943-46
box-folder 5:4
Correspondence relocation students, M-N
1943-46
box-folder 5:5
Correspondence relocation students, O
1943-46
box-folder 5:6
Correspondence relocation students, S-Y
1943-46
Series 5
Miscellaneous Materials
1942-45
Physical Description: 25 folders
box-folder 3:1
Protestant Commission for Japanese Service, Minutes
1942
box-folder 3:2
Protestant Commission for Japanese Service, Minutes
1943
box-folder 3:3
Protestant Commission for Japanese Service, Minutes
1944-45
box-folder 3:4
Correspondence on behalf of Japanese Americans
1942-45
box-folder 3:5
Heart Mountain Relocation Center
1943
box-folder 3:6
Newspaper clippings (Lynn T. White Collection)
1943-47
box-folder 3:7
Newspaper clippings (Lynn T. White Collection)
1943-44
box-folder 3:8
Relocation correspondence
1942-44
box-folder 3:9
Bulletins and reports
1942-45
box-folder 3:11
Non-Presbyterian Settlers
1943-44
box-folder 3:12
Relocation newsletters
1945
box-folder 4:2
Presbyterian missions to Japan
1904-2007
box-folder 4:3
Work with Japanese Americans
1926-1945
box-folder 4:4
Presbyterians in Utah
1944-48
box-folder 4:6
Photograph, Japanese American Group
Undated
box-folder 4:7
Photographs, Presbyterian missions in Japan
Undated
box-folder 4:8
Letter regarding orphanage in Japan
1896
box-folder 4:9
Albertus Pieter, The Moral Failure in Korea, Responsibility of the Japanese Government and Nation
1919 May 28
box-folder 4:10
Paul M. Nagano, Identity and Pluralism from an Asian American Perspective
1989
box-folder 4:11
A Centennial Legacy, History of the Japanese Christian Missions in North America, 1877-1977
1977
box-folder 4:12
Lester Suzuki, Ministry in the Assembly and Relocation Centers of World War II
1979
