McGill Library
McLennan Library Building3459 rue McTavish
Montreal, Quebec
H3A 0C9
Japanese Canadian History and Archives Committee of the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre of Montréal Collection
Collection
10.2 m of textual records
150 audio tapes
435 photographs
The Japanese Canadian History and Archives Committee (JCHAC) is part of the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre of Montréal (JCCCM), a non-profit and non-denominational organization, which was incorporated on November 26, 1975 with a starting business date of May 1, 1976. Kim Nakashima was the organization’s first president. In 1979 the JCCCM began running drop-in programmes for senior citizens; however, it was not until 1982 that the Japanese Canadian History and Archives Committee began actively preserving the history of the community in both Montréal and Canada.
The collection was transferred by Rei Nakashima, on October 2, 2005. These records, created by the History and Archives committee of the JCCCM, had been stored in Rei Nakashima’s house prior to their transfer to the McGill University Archives.
The collection documents the experiences of Japanese Canadians in Montréal and in Canada, as well as Japanese Canadian cultural and social contributions, over an approximately 60 year period, mainly 1940-2000.
The collection contains records reflecting the activities of the JCCCM organization and often related to individuals and/or families, and includes correspondence, photographs, and a variety of printed materials. The collection also contains detailed biographical records, compiled during the 1980s, related to the Issei, Nisei, and Sansei as well as other non-Japanese individuals active in the community. In addition, there are approximately 150 tape recordings, transcripts, and oral histories; art work and cultural contributions done by members of the Japanese community; directories, newspapers, publications, pamphlets, and records; administrative records of the NAJC chapter in Montréal; as well as local and national NAJC and JCCS records.
The series consist of 1) publications; 2) biographical files; 3) general subject files; 4) Japanese Canadian Centennial Society (JCCS) files; and 5) NAJC/ Redress files; 6) Exhibits; 7) Photographs. Many of the files are arranged alphabetically or by subject.
Mainly English, with some Japanese and French.