This book was in the making for many years. In the early 1980s the Salinas Valley Japanese American Seniors group initiated a project with the objective of preserving the history of the Issei pioneers of the Salinas Valley. In 1983 Sam Obara, Ted Ikemoto, Sid Shiratsuki and Harry Sakasegawa spearheaded a fundraising campaign to finance the gathering of the historical information and materials for this effort. The years went by with a continuing discussion of the book, but not much was done, and sadly, the previously collected records were lost. It was not until the late 1990s that Mickey Kubo and Mae Sakasegawa took up the task anew and began in earnest to collect, once again, the family contributed stories, photographs and other materials that are presented here.
This "picture book pioneer album" is a tribute to those Issei Pioneers of the Salinas Valley and is meant to serve as a recognition and a remembrance of their lives here in this place - the hard times and the good times - to ensure that their contributions and experiences will be remembered. It is intended not to be so much a history book as a "family photo album." Coming to a foreign country with essentially nothing was not easy; becoming established in a place that was unwelcoming and finally being able to enjoy the product of one's efforts and sacrifices was a difficult but rewarding accomplishment. Then to have it all taken away -
by edict, yet - unimaginable.
This book covers the period from the late 1800s when the first Japanese settled here to work in the sugar beet fields up to the time of Executive Order 9066 when the evacuation took place at the beginning of World War II. Much history was lost due to the evacuation which caused the confiscation and destruction of old family photos, documents, possessions, etc. Much history was also lost due to the sheer passage of time. After Mickey's illness and passing, Mae single-handedly (and single-mindedly) pursued the completion of the project.
Information was gathered by word-of-mouth contacts, by mail, and by attending numerous meetings and reunions where the older Japanese "might know someone," and by calling upon younger relatives of the Issei to scour attics, basements, old boxes of stored memorabilia and photos. A list of pre-war Japanese businesses and a compilation map of Salinas Japantown is also provided.
After the war, many of the Japanese from this area did not return: some had been deported and could not return; others chose not to return. For some it was too much trouble or too painful to return. Others had simply "moved on," their lives going in new directions from war-created opportunities, doing "something else somewhere else." Of those who did return, a large number of them subseqently chose to leave. A great effort was made to try to contact as many pre-war Salinas Valley families as possible, including those scattered as a result of the war, for inclusion in this book. Our apologies to any families or individuals that have not been included - omissions are deeply regretted and are completely unintentional.
