History of the JCRC
The Japanese Canadian Research Collection found in the Special Collections and University Archives Division in the UBC Library was prepared by Terry Nabata in 1975 with the assistance of Susan Philips, Frank Hanano, and George Brandak. The JCR Collection was later revised by Norman Amor in 1996.
In the latter part of 1970, Mr. Basil Stuart-Stubbs, UBC Head Librarian, in association with Tsuneharu Gonnami of the UBC Asian Library and two professors, Dr. John F. Howes, UBC Professor of Japanese Studies, and Dr. Mitsuru Shinpo, University of Waterloo Sociology Professor, met with Mr. Tsutae Sato, a retired principal of the Vancouver Japanese School, and his wife to discuss the history of Japanese people in Canada. He began with explaining Japanese immigration as of 1877, then continued on to 1941 in which the Japanese Community was established in BC, the relocation of the interior parts of BC, Alberta and Manitoba during World War II, and lastly, the mass movement of Japanese-Canadians after 1949 to regions within Ontario and Quebec. Above all, Sato shared his fifty years worth of experiences teaching Japanese children in Canada and writing alongside Mrs. Hanako Sato about this history. His work with these students and his wife inspired his request to this committee of four of collecting historical documents, articles and books related to Japanese-Canadians for permanent preservation and assured accessibility for future generations at a public institution. Sato was absolutely positive that many personal stories and pre-war material could be gathered from those first and second generation Japanese-Canadians still alive, as well as from old newspapers in the basement of the UBC Library discovered by Professor Donald P. Dore.
Immediately after this meeting, Stuart-Stubbs made the announcement, with support from the UBC Library, that they would pursue the Japanese-Canadian Archives Project and preserve it within the Special Collections Division; this announcement was made through The New Canadian and The Continental Times in Toronto, as well as the Japanese-Canadian Citizenship Association Bulletin in Vancouver. This announcement led to strong responses from Japanese-Canadian communities, and materials were gathered from supporters and donors all across the nation. With the cooperation between the UBC Library and the Japanese-Canadian Archives & Museum, the preservation of historical material has been initiated and this collection will surely continue to grow.
The historical material within the Reverend Yoshio Ono Collection (XXXI) can begin to explain the demographics of and labour work done by Japanese-Canadians in Cumberland, BC during the pre-war period, as well as their evacuation experiences. The Canadian Business Magazine, for example, found in Folder D1, produced an article titled ‘Japanese Round-Up’ which glorifies the campaign to move Japanese people past the Rocky Mountains so they can take over most of the menial labour within the Prairies. The title itself indicates the attitude towards and treatment of Japanese people as more like animals than human beings. Accommodating this material, government forms and documents issued by the Department of Labour Japanese Division dealing with repatriation of Japanese people or their relocation to the Prairies can be found within Folder A of the Chukichi Oyagi Collection (XXXII) to further understand the conditions at this time.
Works Cited:
Canadian Business Magazine. 1942. File 1.1. Folder D1. Box II-6-2. Rev. Yoshio Ono Collection XXXI. University of British Columbia Library Rare Books and Special Collections, Vancouver, Canada.
Gonnami, Tsuneharu. "An Inventory to the Papers and Records in the Japanese Canadian Research Collection". New Introduction. 1996. Japanese Canadian Research Collection. University of British Columbia Library Rare Books and Special Collections, Vancouver, Canada.
Tanaka, T. Angler Camp 101, Ontario. 1940-1949. Japanese Canadian Research Collection. UBC Library Digital Collections. Web. 1 Feb. 2015.
Oyagi, Chukichi. 1942. File 1.1. Folder A. Box II-6-2. Rev. Chukichi Oyagi Collection XXXII. University of British Columbia Library Rare Books and Special Collections, Vancouver, Canada.
In the latter part of 1970, Mr. Basil Stuart-Stubbs, UBC Head Librarian, in association with Tsuneharu Gonnami of the UBC Asian Library and two professors, Dr. John F. Howes, UBC Professor of Japanese Studies, and Dr. Mitsuru Shinpo, University of Waterloo Sociology Professor, met with Mr. Tsutae Sato, a retired principal of the Vancouver Japanese School, and his wife to discuss the history of Japanese people in Canada. He began with explaining Japanese immigration as of 1877, then continued on to 1941 in which the Japanese Community was established in BC, the relocation of the interior parts of BC, Alberta and Manitoba during World War II, and lastly, the mass movement of Japanese-Canadians after 1949 to regions within Ontario and Quebec. Above all, Sato shared his fifty years worth of experiences teaching Japanese children in Canada and writing alongside Mrs. Hanako Sato about this history. His work with these students and his wife inspired his request to this committee of four of collecting historical documents, articles and books related to Japanese-Canadians for permanent preservation and assured accessibility for future generations at a public institution. Sato was absolutely positive that many personal stories and pre-war material could be gathered from those first and second generation Japanese-Canadians still alive, as well as from old newspapers in the basement of the UBC Library discovered by Professor Donald P. Dore.
Immediately after this meeting, Stuart-Stubbs made the announcement, with support from the UBC Library, that they would pursue the Japanese-Canadian Archives Project and preserve it within the Special Collections Division; this announcement was made through The New Canadian and The Continental Times in Toronto, as well as the Japanese-Canadian Citizenship Association Bulletin in Vancouver. This announcement led to strong responses from Japanese-Canadian communities, and materials were gathered from supporters and donors all across the nation. With the cooperation between the UBC Library and the Japanese-Canadian Archives & Museum, the preservation of historical material has been initiated and this collection will surely continue to grow.
The historical material within the Reverend Yoshio Ono Collection (XXXI) can begin to explain the demographics of and labour work done by Japanese-Canadians in Cumberland, BC during the pre-war period, as well as their evacuation experiences. The Canadian Business Magazine, for example, found in Folder D1, produced an article titled ‘Japanese Round-Up’ which glorifies the campaign to move Japanese people past the Rocky Mountains so they can take over most of the menial labour within the Prairies. The title itself indicates the attitude towards and treatment of Japanese people as more like animals than human beings. Accommodating this material, government forms and documents issued by the Department of Labour Japanese Division dealing with repatriation of Japanese people or their relocation to the Prairies can be found within Folder A of the Chukichi Oyagi Collection (XXXII) to further understand the conditions at this time.
Works Cited:
Canadian Business Magazine. 1942. File 1.1. Folder D1. Box II-6-2. Rev. Yoshio Ono Collection XXXI. University of British Columbia Library Rare Books and Special Collections, Vancouver, Canada.
Gonnami, Tsuneharu. "An Inventory to the Papers and Records in the Japanese Canadian Research Collection". New Introduction. 1996. Japanese Canadian Research Collection. University of British Columbia Library Rare Books and Special Collections, Vancouver, Canada.
Tanaka, T. Angler Camp 101, Ontario. 1940-1949. Japanese Canadian Research Collection. UBC Library Digital Collections. Web. 1 Feb. 2015.
Oyagi, Chukichi. 1942. File 1.1. Folder A. Box II-6-2. Rev. Chukichi Oyagi Collection XXXII. University of British Columbia Library Rare Books and Special Collections, Vancouver, Canada.