The Sign Series: Flowers

or, the Story of a Japanese American Family and a Little Something called Vitreous Marble (with a million flowers, a baby-judging contest, and some 1930s cops who learned yawara-jitsui on the off chance they would stop beating people upside the head thrown in for good measure)

The story of a Japanese American family, and a little something called vitreous marble (with a million flowers, a baby-judging contest, and some 1930s cops who learned yawara-jitsu on the off-chance they would stop beating people upside the head thrown in for good measure)

It begins with a boat: the SS Gaelic.

It begins with a boat: the SS Gaelic.

Anna Towata, in her own words.

Anna Matsuyama TowataPhoto from Alameda Magazine, courtesy of John Towata Jr..

Anna Matsuyama Towata

Photo from Alameda Magazine, courtesy of John Towata Jr..

California Auditorium, Golden Gate International Exposition, San FranciscoSOURCE: BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY TICHNOR BROTHERS COLLECTION

California Auditorium, Golden Gate International Exposition, San Francisco

SOURCE: BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY TICHNOR BROTHERS COLLECTION

Selling off the Oakland shop, May 1942SOURCE: OAKLAND TRIBUNE

Selling off the Oakland shop, May 1942

SOURCE: OAKLAND TRIBUNE

Not the cover art/fonts I would have chosen, but still. Professor Matsuyama’s book, still in print, after about 75 years…

Not the cover art/fonts I would have chosen, but still. Professor Matsuyama’s book, still in print, after about 75 years…

Go Matsuyamas, it’s your wedding day. We gon’ party like it’s your wedding day.  We gon’ sip Bacardi like it’s your wedding day.

Go Matsuyamas, it’s your wedding day. We gon’ party like it’s your wedding day. We gon’ sip Bacardi like it’s your wedding day.

A citizen at last. Damn straight.

A citizen at last. Damn straight.

“I’m so sorry.”

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The History of a House in Four Mishaps

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That Time That JFK Came to Town