Japanese American Historical Mapping Project > FAM

1890's
30,000 Japanese laborers emigrated to Hawaiian plantations. Many from Hiroshima: 1894
Jotham Bixby welcomed Japanese farmers to Rancho de Los Palos Verdes (PV): 1898
Japanese abalone fishing industry began at White Point. Ended in 1907

1900's
Kumekichi Ishibashi entered U.S. through Mexico, did railroad work in WY & ND: 1904
Chinese Exclusion Act made permanent (Scott Act banned Chinese in 1882, 1892): 1906
K. Ishibashi builT first Japanese American ranch house in PV (PV plaque): 1906
April 18: San Francisco earthquake drove Japanese to migrate southward: 1907
Gentlemen's Agreement severely limited entry of Japanese male laborers to U.S.: 1909 June
Los Angeles City Market opened on 9th & San Pedro Street. Japanese occupied 120 of 180 produce stalls

1910-
Early Japanese settlement near Pt. Fermin and White Point. Mr. Kanehara (Aichi Prefecture) experimented with crops. Japanese ranches spread along PV coast: 1910 Sept.1
K. Ishibashi, Tomizo, his younger brother, K. Ozaki & C. Hayashi signed 50 acre lease at $6 per acre. Began long reign of dry farmed vegetable cultivation in PV: 1913
Frank A. Vanderlip, Sr. purchased 6,000 acres of PV from Fundenburg/George Bixby. Became primary PV landowner to Japanese ranches.: 1913
California Heney-Webb Alien Land Act banned ownership to aliens "ineligible to citizenship." Loopholes allow Nisei American born children to sign lease.: 1915
San Pedro Vegetable Growers Co-operative Association founded: 1918
May 11, Seventh St.(& Central Ave) Wholesale Terminal Market opened: 1919
SPVGA contracted for a joint sales stall with District 9 (Bay City) and District 7 (Imperial). Known as a model co-operative both here and in Japan

1920
California banned land ownership to aliens "ineligible to citizenship." Picture bride visas end.: 1920
SPVGA created crate label to insure recognizable quality produce: 1921
Palos Verdes Project (E.G. Lewis) to develop PV into elite community, venture failed: 1922 Nov
Ozawa vs US Supreme Court banned naturalization of Asian aliens on racial grounds. Issei ineligible for citizenship until 1952.: 1922 Nov. 24
San Pedro Vegetable Growers Association (SPVGA) dedicated first community building in Portuguese Bend. Nearly 200 attended: 1924
Immigration Act of 1924 ended all Japanese immigration to U.S.: 1924
White Point and District 26 ranches separated from SPVGA: 1924
Drought for 2 years. SPVGA applied for a loan: 1925
White Point Tagami Hot Springs & Hotel became a popular seaside resort through 1935: 1925
San Pedro 26th Streeters families evicted as San Pedro city expands.: 1925
Palos Verdes Corporation formed, primary landowner to PV Japanese until 1942.

1930
SPVGA began shipment of Kentucky Wonder beans to Chicago: 1932
L.A. Summer Olympics: Japanese swimmers trained at White Point, broke 2 records: 1933 March 10
Long Beach earthquake. Damage to San Pedro High, White Point: 1933
Mexican farm workers strike; caused great losses to PV ranches. SPVGA spent $2000 to build two Japanese labor camps (Meno & Kozan): 1933
SPVGA Parent Association reinstated to run Japanese language school.: 1936
38 SPVGA families cultivated 3200 acres, pop. 225 Issei-Nisei live in PV

1941
Dec. 7 Japan attacks Pearl Harbor, HA. FBI rounded up 736 Issei by 6:30 AM
Dec. 8 War declared. Within 48 hrs, 1291 Japanese detained & classified as "dangerous enemy aliens" without formal charges.
Dec. 29 Japanese ordered to turn in contraband: radios, cameras, weapons: 1942
Feb. 1 Palos Verdes Corporation cancels Japanese leases
Mar 5 L.A. Mayor Bowron: L.A has largest density of Japanese & has become "the hotbed, the nerve center of the spy system, of planning for sabotage"
Feb. 19 FDR signs Executive Order 9066: mass removal & detention of Issei, Nisei
Feb. 25 3000 Terminal Island Japanese given 48 hours to vacate homes & businesses
Mar 27 20-30 SPVGA families relocated to Strathmore, CA to farm, San Pedro-L.A. group relocated to harvest orchards in Winters, CA
June 2 Voluntary relocation ends. All Japanese sent to WRA centers. National Student Relocation Council placed interned Nisei in colleges: 1943
Feb-July Controversial questionnaire issued in camps to segregate "loyals" from "disloyals." No-no respondents transferred to Tule Lake-Newell, CA camp
Feb. 1 All Nisei 100th, 442nd Regimental Combat teams activated: 1944
Hirabayashi vs U.S. upheld evacuation. Reversed in 1988 based on coram nobis. War Dept reinstates draft for Nisei
June 28 63 Heart Mt. internees refused draft & sentenced, demanding civil rights
Sept Esther Takei, first evacuee, to return to California (Pasadena Jr. College)
Dec. 18 Korematsu vs US upheld EO 9066, Reversed in 1984
Endo vs U.S. ruled WRA cannot detain "loyal" citizens.
Oct.27 800 442nd Regiment Nisei fatalities to rescue 211 Texas Battalion: 1945
Aug. 6 Atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima
Aug 11 Japan agreed to unconditional surrender to Allies
Sept-Oct Mass departures from camps: 80,000 internees return to West Coast

1952
Walter McCarran Immigration Act: Issei eligible for naturalization. 185 Japanese entries allowed under annual quota

1988
Civil Rights Act for $20,000 redress-reparations to Japanese Americans: 1992
May 1: Ishibashi ranch house designated State Point of Historical Interest