Elmer Ogawa papers, 1928-1971

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Ogawa, Elmer, 1906-1970
Title
Elmer Ogawa papers
Dates
1928-1971 (inclusive)
1942-1966 (bulk)
Quantity
4.33 cubic feet (10 boxes)
Collection Number
1383 (Accession No. 1383-001)
Summary
Papers of a Japanese-American photographer and civic leader from Seattle, Washington.
Repository
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu
Access Restrictions

No restrictions on access.

Languages
English
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Photographer and civic leader Elmer Ogawa (1906-1970) was born in Seattle, Washington to Japanese and German-Irish parents. Ogawa attended Queen Anne High School and the University of Washington before enlisting in the United States Army in 1942. After his military service, Ogawa worked as a freelance photographer and journalist. He primarily worked as a photographer in Seattle's International District but also worked as the Northwest columnist-photographer for the Pacific Citizen, a nationally circulating publication of the Japanese American Citizens League.

In addition to his professional life, Elmer Ogawa was an active community member. He was a member of the Seattle chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League from 1945 to 1970 and the Nisei Veterans Committee from 1949 to 1969. Ogawa served as a board member and photographer for the Jackson Street Community Council from 1952 to 1966. The Jackson Street Community Council was Seattle's first neighborhood advocacy group, founded in 1946 by a coalition of African American and Asian American community members.

Sources:

“Jackson Street Community Council (1946-1967) | The Black Past: Remembered and Reclaimed.” Accessed October 16, 2017. http://www.blackpast.org/aaw/jackson-street-community-council-1946-1967.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Materials contain correspondence, financial records, writings, notes, ephemera, biographical material, and other papers relating to Elmer Ogawa's career as a freelance photographer and civic leader in Seattle's International District. Materials document his involvement in the Japanese American Citizens League, the Nisei Veterans Committee, and the Jackson Street Community Council. Correspondents include Tom Arai, Pal Cooper, Goldena Ogawa and Kazuo "Joe" Tsujimota. Also included are materials relating to Veterans of Foreign Wars Merrick Mariners Post 1310 (Merrick, New York) and American Legion, Cathay Post 186 (Seattle, Washington).

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

The creator's literary rights have been transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.

Preferred Citation

Elmer Ogawa papers. Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries, Seattle, Washington.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

Arranged in 6 series:

  • Personal and professional papers
  • Jackson Street Community Council, Board of Trustees records
  • Japanese American Citizens League, Seattle records
  • Nisei Veterans Committee, Seattle records
  • American Legion, Cathay Post No. 186 records
  • Veterans of Foreign Wars, Merrick Mariners Post No. 1310 records

Acquisition Information

Gift of Herbert Ogawa, July 9, 1970.

Processing Note

Processing completed in 1986.

Twelve boxes of Ogawa's photographs, including images of the International District in Seattle, Washington, were relocated to the Elmer Ogawa Photograph Collection, PH Coll 178, in Special Collections in October 1986.

Separated Materials

Material Described Separately:

The visual materials and film that form part of this collection are described and indexed in the Guide to the Elmer Ogawa Photograph Collection and the Guide to the Elmer Ogawa Home Movie Films, available in Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

 

Personal and professional papersReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Incoming letters
Box/Folder
1/1
Arai, Tom
1931-1947
1/2
A
1965
1/3-4
B
1948-1963
1/5-8
Cooper, Pal
1947-1953, undated
1/9-11
C
1946-1966
1/12
D-F
1938-1965
1/13
G
1942-1968
1/14
H
1929-1970
1/15
I
1948-1967
1/16-18
Japanese American Citizens' League: business correspondence with Ogawa in his role as a professional photographer
1942-1965, undated
1/19
J-N
1931-1962
1/20-22
Ogawa, Goldena
1957-1967
1/23
O
1929-1966
1/24
P-R
1946-1957
1/25-2/1
S
1929-1966
2/2-3
Tsujimoto, Joe
1961-1966, undated
2/4
T
1952-1960
2/5
U
1942-1964
2/6
W
1947-1966, undated
2/7
Unidentified
1928-1966
2/8
Anti-Japanese hate mail
undated
Box/Folder
2/9-10
Outgoing letters
1946-1970, undated
2/11
General correspondence
1946-1966
2/12
Correspondence regarding Elmer Ogawa
1942-1960
2/13
Correspondence collected by Elmer Ogawa
1948-1966, undated
2/14-16
Christmas cards
1948-1967
2/17-20
Financial records
1938-1964, undated
2/21
Reports
1945-1962, undated
2/22
Legal documents
1940-1941
2/23-3/2
Writings by Elmer Ogawa
1949-1964, undated
3/3
Military orders
1928-1933
3/4
Military service records
1944-1947, undated
3/5
Application for federal employment
1946-1947, undated
3/6-9
Notes
undated
3/10
Photography notes
undated
3/11
News releases
1960-1968, undated
3/12-13
Newsletters
1949-1965
Periodicals
Box/Folder
3/14-5/5
Scene Magazine
1950-1955
5/6-6/1
Scene Magazine - annual issues
1950-1952
6/2-3
Nisei Vue
1948-1949
6/4
Score Magazine
1960-1961
Box/Folder
6/5
Lists
1947-1950, undated
6/6
Family snapshots
1948-1964
6/7-9
Clippings
1928-1965, undated
6/10-7/4
Ephemera
1923-1968, undated
Subject series
Box/Folder
7/5
442nd Regimental Combat Team reunion
1953
7/6
Seattle Urban League
1961-1965
7/7
Washington State Third International Trade Fair
1953-1954

Jackson Street Community Council, Board of TrusteesReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
7/8-9
Organizational features
1956-1962
7/10
Incoming letters
1953-1962
7/11
Agenda
1953, undated
7/12-14
Minutes
1952-1961
7/15-16
Financial records
1953-1961
7/17
Annual reports
1946-1964
Reports
Box/Folder
8/1
Case studies on the process of integration in neighborhoods of Seattle, Washington
1960
8/2
Survey of attitudes and opinions
1955
8/3
Miscellaneous
1951-1957
Box/Folder
8/4
Writings
undated
8/5
Memoranda
1953-1964
8/6
Newsletters
1952-1966
8/7
Handbook for Jackson Street Community Council publicity
1953, undated
8/8
Lists
1952-1961
8/9
Clippings
1951-1964, undated
8/10
Ephemera
1951-1961, undated
8/11
Subject file: Proposed freeway route
1958, undated

Japanese American Citizens League, Seattle Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Organizational records
Box/Folder
8/12
Organizational features
1946-1966, undated
8/13
Incoming letters
1952-1971
8/14
Outgoing letters
1961-1966
8/15
General correspondence
1961-1969, undated
8/16
Agenda
1965, undated
8/17-19
Minutes
1961-1971
8/20
Financial records
1954-1966, undated
8/21
Survey
Jackson Street Community Council occupation survey of the Japanese communities in the greater Pacific Northwest district and the greater Seattle area.
1964-1965
8/22
Memoranda
1956-1970, undated
8/23
Speeches and writings
1945-1966, undated
8/24
Conferences and conventions
1960-1965
8/25-9/1
Newsletters
1955-1966, undated
9/2
Questionnaires
1956
9/3
Notes
undated
9/4
Lists
1949-1964, undated
9/5
Flyers
1963-1968, undated
9/6-7
Clippings
1938-1965, undated
9/8
Ephemera
1949-1968, undated
Subject files
Box/Folder
9/9-10
Human Rights Commission
1963-1966
9/11
Japanese language program
1950-1965, undated
9/12-13
Senate Joint Resolutions
1958-1966
9/14-15
Seafair floats and queens
1951-1965
Abolishing Restrictions on Land Ownership Committee
Box/Folder
9/16
Incoming letter
1962
9/16
Minutes
1962
Alien Land Law Committee
Box/Folder
9/17
Minutes
1959, 1964
9/17
Financial records
1960
9/17
Outline
1959
9/17
Lists
1965
Human Relations Committee
Box/Folder
9/18
Organizational features
undated
9/18
Outline
undated
9/18
Questionnaire
undated
9/18
Notes
1966
17th Biennial National Convention (Seattle), 1962
Box/Folder
9/19
Organizational features
1961-1962
9/20
Incoming letters
1962
9/21
Outgoing letters
1961-1962
9/22-23
Minutes
1961-1962
9/24
Schedules
1962
9/25
Memoranda
1961, undated
9/26
Program
1962
9/27
News releases
1961, undated
Pacific Northwest District Council
Box/Folder
10/1
Correspondence
1961, 1963
10/1
Financial records
1961, 1965
10/1
Memoranda
1963
10/1
Notice
1963
10/2
Agenda
1965
10/3-4
Minutes
1961-1965

Nisei Veterans Committee, SeattleReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
10/5
Organization
undated
10/6
Incoming letters
1949, 1952
10/7
Outgoing letters
1950-1964, undated
10/8
Financial records
1955, undated
10/9
Speeches and writings
undated
10/10
Memoranda
1962
10/11-16
Newsletters
1952-1969
10/17
Lists
1958, undated
10/18
Reunion schedule
1964
10/19
Veteran's reunion
1964
10/20
Scrapbook
1953-1956
10/21
Clippings
1945-1957, undated

American Legion, Cathay Post No. 186Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
10/22
Newsletters
1961-1962
10/22
News releases
undated
10/22
Notices
1954, undated
10/22
Clippings
1964

Veterans of Foreign Wars, Merrick Mariners Post No. 1310Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
10/23
Correspondence
1946-1948
10/23
Notices
undated
10/23
Lists
undated
10/23
Clippings
1946, undated
10/24
Ephemera
1944-1947

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Civic leaders--Washington (State)--Seattle--Archives
  • Community development--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Japanese American veterans--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Japanese American veterans--Washington (State)--Seattle--Archives
  • Japanese Americans--Civil rights--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Japanese Americans--Washington (State)--Seattle--Archives
  • Japanese Americans--Washington (State)--Seattle--Societies, etc
  • Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)
  • Photographers--Washington (State)--Seattle--Archives
  • Veterans--New York (State)--Societies, etc
  • Veterans--Washington (State)--Societies, etc

Personal Names

  • Arai, Tom
  • Cooper, Pal
  • Ogawa, Elmer, 1906-1970--Archives
  • Ogawa, Goldena H
  • Tsujimoto, Kazuo

Corporate Names

  • American Legion. Cathay Post No. 186 (Seattle, Wash.)
  • Jackson Street Community Council (Seattle, Wash.)
  • Japanese American Citizens' League. Pacific Northwest District Council
  • Japanese American Citizens' League. Seattle Chapter
  • Nisei Veterans Committee (Seattle, Wash.)
  • Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States. Merrick Mariners Post 1310 (Merrick, N.Y.)

Geographical Names

  • Seattle (Wash.)--Race relations