July 1978
JACL Convention ratifies redress for former internees with an individual payment of $25,000 and trust fund to benefit Japanese Americans.
Dr. Clifford Uyeda of San Francisco is appointed to head the National JACL Reparations Committee. He replaced Edison Uno, who had died the previous year from a heart attack. Of six plans introduced to JACL, three favored individual payments and three favored the trust fund approach. Realizing that no amount of money could compensate Japanese Americans for their losses, a figure of $25,000 was agreed upon as a good faith demonstration by the government for restitution. Another strategic decision was arrived at by the JACL, and that was to move away from the use of the word "reparation" and instead use "redress" (righting a wrong for past injustices).
