A Look At The Japan History Council Of New York’s “Digital Museum Of The History Of Japanese In New York”

Earlier this month, the Japan History Council of New York announced plans to launch the Digital Museum Of The History Of The Japanese In New York, making it the first East Coast digital archive to represent local historical figures of Japanese descent. The Digital Museum launch comes at a significant point of time, as May marks Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, bringing to the forefront the identity and experiences of Asian Americans throughout history.

The Japan History Council Of New York was established on December 12, 2020 to collect, preserve, and share items — including documents, photographs, movie, letters and news reports — of historical and cultural significance to tell the story of the Japanese experience and community in New York and surrounding areas, and to pass it along to future generations. Materials collected span the fields of diverse politics, diplomacy, business, science, culture, sports, education, community and media, with other fields being considered. The ultimate goal of the Council is reportedly to establish a physical Japanese History Museum in New York in the near-future.

Woven into the strong tie between Japan and the United States today are the untold stories of countless Japanese, Japanese Americans, and Americans in New York and its surrounding areas. The Digital Museum Of The History Of Japanese In New York aims to spotlight these significant people and to remember and honor them, including individuals like:

– Toshiko Akiyoshi: Accomplished jazz pianist, composer, arranger, and band leader who has received 14 Grammy Award nominations. In 1999, she became the first Japanese musician to be inducted into the International Jazz Hall of Fame.

– Wataru “Wat” Misaka: College and professional basketball player, who in 1947, became the first player of Asian descent in the Basketball Association of America (now the NBA). He won the 1944 NCAA National Championship as a point guard for the University of Utah.

– Jokichi Takamine: The founder of New York City’s Nippon Club, and a pioneering biochemist. In 1900, he discovered how to isolate the hormone adrenaline in an almost pure form.

On May 18, 2021, I had the pleasure of participating in a media event presented by the Japan History Council Of New York and ask a question about the Digital Museum Of The History Of The Japanese In New York, as embedded below. More on the Digital Museum can be found here and here.

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Tags: History, Japan, Museums, NBA, New York, Toshiko Akiyoshi

About the Author

Darren Paltrowitz Darren Paltrowitz is a New York resident with over 20 years of entertainment industry experience. He began working around the music business as a teenager, interning for the manager of his then-favorite band Superdrag. Since then, he has worked with a wide array of artists including OK Go, They Might Be Giants, Mike Viola, Tracy Bonham, Loudness, Rachael Yamagata, and Amanda Palmer. Darren's writing has appeared in dozens of outlets including the New York Daily News, Inquisitr, The Daily Meal, The Hype Magazine, All Music Guide, Guitar World, TheStreet.com, Businessweek, Chicago Tribune, L.A. Times, and the Jewish Journal. Beyond being "Editor At Large" for The Hype Magazine, Darren is also the host of weekly "Paltrocast With Darren Paltrowitz" series, which airs on dozens on television and digital networks. He has also co-authored 2 published books, 2018's "Pocket Change: Your Happy Money" (Book Web Publishing) and 2019's "Good Advice From Professional Wrestling" (6623 Press), and co-hosts the world's only known podcast about David Lee Roth, "The DLR Cast."