SEI FUJII

Biography honors USC Gould alumnus’ fight for civil rights

New book on life of Japanese American newspaper publisher and community leader Sei Fujii launched with celebration in Little Tokyo

By Yulia Nakagome A new biography honoring USC Law School graduate Sei Fujii (JD 1911), an influential Los Angeles newspaper publisher and civil rights activist, was celebrated at the Little Tokyo Historical Society on Nov. 2.

Above: Sei Fujii Above, to the right: The biography celebrating Sei Fujii (JD 1911) was attended by (from left): Adam Engelskirchen (great-grandson of J. Marion Wright), Jason Engelskirchen (greatgrandson of J. Marion Wright), Alice LaMoree (granddaughter of J. Marion Wright), Coralie Kupfer (daughter of Owen Kupfer), Jeffrey Gee Chin (publisher and filmmaker), Naomi Hirahara (editor), Saeko Higa-Dickinson (translator).

Written by USC School of Cinematic Arts alumnus Jeffrey Chin (MFA 2016) and Fumiko

Carole Fujita (PharmD 1965) with key source material from author Kenichi Sato, A Rebel’s

Outcry details Fujii’s life as founder of Kashu

Mainichi (Japan-California Daily News), his efforts to overturn the California Alien

Land Law in 1952, and his experiences as an immigrant and community leader. “Our book has been a passion project with the

Little Tokyo Historical Society for over a decade, where we’ve incorporated historic photographs, illustrations and original documents,” Chin said.

The book traces Fujii’s journey through school and includes historical photos from Fujii’s granddaughter, Chin said. There were some interesting discoveries along the way, including details about Fujii’s death.

“We had interviews with first hand sources, such as Bill Nishimura, whose father went to school with Fujii in Yamaguchi-ken,” he said. “We were also able to meet Hidekichi Nagamine, who knew him for many years. Fujii gave a eulogy at Nagamine’s father’s funeral, but he had a heart condition which forced him to collapse and die during the funeral. As a result, we have a photo of his last speech.”

The book highlights Fujii’s work to advance civil rights issues, especially of disadvantaged people.

“He found a workaround to allow the Japanese to purchase land,” Chin said. “He knew how to work with different communities in race relations campaigns and had a forward-thinking mindset to fight amongst them for equal rights.”

His sacrifices included refusing to become a U.S. citizen in order to overturn the California Alien Land Law of 1913.

“Fujii lived and fought in the U.S. for 51 years, but he was only a citizen for 51 days before he passed away,” Chin said. “He was a hero who exemplifies minority groups. He was a part of the legacy before civil rights movements we know today.”

Janice Marion Wright LaMoree, the daughter of J. Marion Wright (JD 1913), who was Fujii’s law partner, was featured in a video at the launch about the relationship between her father and Fujii. Wright’s granddaughter and great-grandsons were in attendance.

Chin has been part of other efforts to honor Fujii over the years, including obtaining a posthumous law license from the California State Bar in 2017, and designing a monument in Little Tokyo in Fujii’s honor.

Chin hopes A Rebel’s Outcry is not seen only as a historical archive.

“Fujii’s life represents a path toward equal rights for all communities,” he said. “Young activists, regardless of race, can look to someone who was unable to practice law, who eventually won two major Supreme Court cases. When he didn’t have a voice in the courtroom, he had a newspaper to help less educated people to protect their rights.”