Oral history interview with Ina Sugihara Jones, 2000

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Name: Jones, Ina Sugihara (Interviewee); Michaels, Sheila, 1939-2017 (Interviewer)
Title: Oral history interview with Ina Sugihara Jones, 2000
Other Titles: Reminiscences of Ina Sugihara Jones, 2000; Oral history of Ina Sugihara Jones, 2000
Abstract: Ina Sugihara Jones begins this interview by speaking about her heritage, her early life on the West Coast, and her parents' immigration experience. Jones describes her siblings, Japanese upbringing, and early education. She discusses the challenges her family experienced during the Great Depression and their eventual move to Long Beach, California in 1933. Jones outlines the job discrimination she encountered as a Japanese American woman and the expectations of her parents. Jones describes her job at the Northern California branch of the ACLU and contextualizes the internment camps. She describes her various jobs in New York, as well as her first impressions of the city. Jones recalls initial meetings at New York CORE and describes her relationship with Lula Farmer. Jones describes at great length her work at NBC as a secretary and labor contract analyst. Finally, Jones speaks briefly about her work as correspondent for Religious News Service, Pittsburgh Courier, and the Pacific Citizen
Collection Name: Sheila Michaels civil rights organization oral history collection
Subjects: Journalists; Japanese Americans--Evacuation and relocation, 1942-1945; Civil rights movements--History--20th century.--United States; Civil rights workers--History--20th century.--United States; United States Race relations 20th century; Jones, Ina Sugihara; Congress of Racial Equality. New York (Harlem) Chapter; American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California; National Broadcasting Company
Format: oral histories
Genre: Interviews
Date: 2000

Physical Description: 62 pages
Note (Biographical): Ina Sugihara Jones is a founding member of New York CORE. Jones was born on September 7, 1919 to Japanese immigrants. Moving from Yamanashi, Japan in the early 1900s, her parents eventually settled in Las Animas, Colorado, where they kept a melon farm until the Great Depression. Jones was raised in Las Animas as well as Long Beach, California, where she later studied at Long Beach Community College. Jones also attended the University of California, Berkeley. She pursued secretarial work and writing positions at Berkeley. In March of 1942, Jones moved to New York City to escape the internment of Japanese Americans in the west. There, she worked at the American Civil Liberties Union, NBC, and various news publications. Through her involvement in New York CORE, Jones met her husband, Willis Jones and developed a friendship with Lula Farmer.
Note: Interviewed by Sheila Michaels on March 27, 2000
Note (Provenance): Sheila Michaels, Gift circa 2000-2005
Language: English
Library Location: Columbia Center for Oral History, Columbia University
Catalog Record: 11604092
Persistent URL: https://dx.doi.org/10.7916/d8-b951-zz48
Related URLs: Available digital content for this interview.