The Digital Museum of the History of Japanese in New York

May 17, 2021 at 12:32 PM EDT

--News Direct--

The Japan History Council of New York Honors Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month with its Launch of ‘The Digital Museum of the History of Japanese in New York’

The Japan History Council of New York announced today plans to launch the Digital Museum of the History of the Japanese in New York on Tuesday May 18—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 (documents, photographs, movie, letters, and new 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 politics, diplomacy, business, science, culture, sports, education, community, and media, among others. The ultimate goal of the Council is to establish a physical Japanese History Museum in New York in the future.

Woven into the strong tie between Japan and the U.S. today are the untold stories of countless Japanese, Japanese Americans, and Americans in New York and its surrounding areas. While some are well-known for their great contributions to history, others may be lesser-known, or have passed away without being recognized. 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 fourteen 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.

· And many others.

The opening ceremony of the Digital Museum of the History of the Japanese in New York will be held virtually on Tuesday May 18, 2021, from 3:30pm-to-4:15pm Eastern Standard Time.

Join the ceremony at this Zoom link.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8475255008?pwd=Mm9Ta044QWNaMG9ZaHZNRnNhY3Rvdz09

Meeting ID: 847 525 5008

Passcode: 707351

One tap mobile

+19292056099,,8475255008# US (New York)

+13017158592,,8475255008# US (Washington DC)

Please visit the website of the digital museum and to view the collections: www.historyofjapaneseinny.org