Ban (Takeshi) Papers, 1902-1986, bulk 1930-1939

Summary

Creators:

Ban, Takeshi, 1884-1956

Abstract:

Takeshi Ban was an Issei congregational minister from Kumamoto prefecture, and a president of the Pacific Society of Religious Education. The collection consists of documents, publications, and phonographs records, and 3D objects spanning from 1902 to 1986. The film portion of the collection has been transferred to the National Film Center of the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo in 2007.

Extent:

10 linear feet

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Takeshi Ban papers. 96.5.200, Japanese American National Museum. Los Angeles, CA.

Background

Scope and content:

The Takeshi Ban papers contains account books, administrative records, clippings, correspondence, flyers, journals, notebooks, publications, phonograph records, and 3D objects.

Biographical / historical:

Takeshi Ban, an Issei congregational minister from Kumamoto prefecture, moved to Hawaii in 1910 and to mainland in 1913. After 1931 he established the Pacific Society of Religious Education (Taiheiyo Bunka Kyoikukai) and was the principal of the Pacific Cultural Institute (Taiheiyo Bunka Gakuin) in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles. He went around the nation giving lectures about Japanese culture to Nisei youth. He also showed Japanese films with his lectures. He was connected with Fuji-kan theatre in Little Tokyo before the war and was a benshi (narrator) for the Japanese silent films. He was also the president of the Pacific Bureau of New Musical Study, which distributed Japanese records to Academic institutions in the United States.

Acquisition information:

Gift of the Ban Family, 1996.

Processing information:

This finding aid was created as part of a project funded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission. The project started in 2007. Project Director was Cris Paschild. Project Archivists were Yoko Shimojo and Marlon Romero.

Arrangement:

The Takeshi Ban Papers is broken down into the following series:

Series 1: Account books, 1927-1936 (4 books)

This series contains financial records of Takeshi Ban's farm operation and financial records of Orange County Japanese Independent Christian Church Japanese school. Series 2: Administrative records, 1937-1949 (4 folders)

This series contains administrative records including contracts, statements, film lists, financial records, stock certificate, and a photograph. Majority of the records are of Nihon Eiga Renmei (Japanese Theatre Association) and Taiheiyo Bunka Kyoikukai (Pacific Society of Religious Education). It also includes constitution and publication for Pacific Bureau of New Musical Study. Series 3: Clippings, 1938-1948 (1 folder)

This series contains clippings of film advertisements from newspapers such as Tokyo Nichi-Nichi Shinbun and Hawaii Times. Series 4: Correspondence, 1938-1952 (4 folders)

This series contains correspondence of Takeshi Ban. Majority of the correspondences are from Noboru Tsuda from Japanese Theatre Association, Inc. and Suimin Matsui from a film-distributing agency. Series 5: Flyers, ca. 1935 (1 folder)

This series contains Japanese film flyers: Nihon no Shocho: A Symbol of Japan, Byakui no Kajin, and Tsuki yori no Shisha. The flyers are oversized and stored separately. Series 6: Journals, 1933-1941 (18 books)

This series contains journals of film screenings including dates, titles, locations, donator name lists, attendance, fees, and notes. The location covers from the West coast to the East coast such as, California, Washington, Colorado, Illinois, and New York. Series 7: Notebooks, ca. 1913 (2 books)

This series contains notebooks with drafts. One has a title "Toyoko san" and the other contain poems. Series 8: Publications, ca. 1902-1986 (6 linear feet)

This series contains publications including Japanese textbooks. Most of the publications are in Japanese and the subjects vary including biography, directory, religion, immigration and novels by Japanese American authors. The Japanese textbooks are mostly from Hawaii and California and the level is from elementary to middle school. Series 9: Phonograph records, ca. 1930s (6 boxes)

This series contains records of Japanese songs mainly from the 1930s. Some are pressed and made in Los Angeles. There is a record of songs called "Rafu Ondo" (LA March) and "Amerika Ondo" (America March), which were made for the Japanese community in L.A. Series 10: 3D objects, (3 small boxes)

This series contains rubber stamps (32 objects), stamp pads (2 objects), and business cards of Takeshi Ban and Pacific Society of Religious Education Inc. It also includes date and film flyer stamps.

Physical location:

Japanese American National Museum, 100 North Central Avenue, Los Angeles, California 90012

Rules or conventions:

Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: a Content Standard

Related resources

Related material:

The film portion of the collection has been transferred to the National Film Center of the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo in 2007. There is also another collection belonged to Takeshi Ban, which can be found under the ID number 96.61.

Indexed terms

Subjects:

Christianity
Japanese Americans
Music
Clergy
Taiheiyo Bunka Kyoikukai
Nihon Eiga Renmei

Names:

Ban, Takeshi, 1884-1956

Places:

Los Angeles (Calif.)
Boyle Heights (Calif.)

Restrictions:

By appointment only. Please Contact the Collections Management and Access Unit by email (collections@janm.org) or telephone (213-830-5615).

Terms of access:

All requests for permission to publish, reproduce, or quote from materials in this collection must be submitted to the Hirasaki National Resource Center at the Japanese American National Museum (collections@janm.org).

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Takeshi Ban papers. 96.5.200, Japanese American National Museum. Los Angeles, CA.

Location of this collection:

Japanese American National Museum

Collections Management & Access Unit

100 North Central Avenue

Los Angeles, CA 90012, US

Contact:

213-625-0414

collections@janm.org

Website

Summary

Extent:

4 books

Background

Scope and content:

This series contains financial records of Takeshi Ban's farm operation and financial records of Orange County Japanese Independent Christian Church Japanese school.

Summary

Extent:

4 folders

Background

Scope and content:

This series contains administrative records including contracts, statements, film lists, financial records, stock certificate, and a photograph. Majority of the records are of Nihon Eiga Renmei (Japanese Theatre Association) and Taiheiyo Bunka Kyoikukai (Pacific Society of Religious Education). It also includes constitution and publication for Pacific Bureau of New Musical Study.

Summary

Extent:

1 folder

Background

Scope and content:

This series contains clippings of film advertisements from newspapers such as Tokyo Nichi-Nichi Shinbun and Hawaii Times.

Summary

Extent:

4 folders

Background

Scope and content:

This series contains correspondence of Takeshi Ban. Majority of the correspondences are from Noboru Tsuda from Japanese Theatre Association, Inc. and Suimin Matsui from a film-distributing agency.

Summary

Extent:

1 folder

Background

Scope and content:

This series contains Japanese film flyers: Nihon no Shocho: A Symbol of Japan, Byakui no Kajin, and Tsuki yori no Shisha. The flyers are oversized and stored separately.

Summary

Extent:

18 books

Background

Scope and content:

This series contains journals of film screenings including dates, titles, locations, donator name lists, attendance, fees, and notes. The location covers from the West coast to the East coast such as, California, Washington, Colorado, Illinois, and New York.

Summary

Extent:

2 books

Background

Scope and content:

This series contains notebooks with drafts. One has a title "Toyoko san" and the other contain poems.

Summary

Extent:

6 linear feet

Background

Scope and content:

This series contains publications including Japanese textbooks. Most of the publications are in Japanese and the subjects vary including biography, directory, religion, immigration and novels by Japanese American authors. The Japanese textbooks are mostly from Hawaii and California and the level is from elementary to middle school.

Summary

Extent:

6 boxes

Background

Scope and content:

This series contains records of Japanese songs mainly from the 1930s. Some are pressed and made in Los Angeles. There is a record of songs called "Rafu Ondo" (LA March) and "Amerika Ondo" (America March), which were made for the Japanese community in L.A.

Summary

Extent:

3 small boxes

Background

Scope and content:

This series contains rubber stamps (32 objects), stamp pads (2 objects), and business cards of Takeshi Ban and Pacific Society of Religious Education Inc. It also includes date and film flyer stamps.