CLEAR

Interview with Mike Tokunaga, session 1 of 2 (9/12/1989)

Interview with Mike Tokunaga conducted by Larry Meacham and Daniel W. Tuttle, Jr. on 9/12/1989 in the Tokunaga residence Honolulu, Oʻahu as part of the Hawaiʻi Political History Documentation Project. Democratic party organizer reflects on his Maui childhood, 100th Infantry Battalion experiences in World War II, building of the Democratic party, Hawaiʻi statehood movement, and gubernatorial campaigns of John Burns, George Ariyoshi, and John Waihee. Other topics include: military service during WWII and distrust of Japanese Americans, encountering racism in the U.S. south, and combat experiences in Europe; getting involved in student government with other returning veterans at the University of Hawaiʻi; becoming politically active in the Democratic party the 1950s; organizing and recruitment of Japanese voters; campaign strategy of coffee hours; and party influence on candidates to create a balanced ticket in 1959. Interview spans 6 videotapes. Transcript is available http://hdl.handle.net/10125/29938

Languages: English

Genres

  • Documentary

This has been a small clip of the full video available. For more information about this title and the materials associated with it, please contact the archive.