Collection context
Summary
- Creators:
- Suzuki, Lester E.
- Abstract:
- The collection consists of three drafts of his doctoral thesis Ministry in the Assembly and Relocation Centers of World War II, as well as books and other research materials donated by Suzuki. The thesis describes daily life and worship in the Japanese relocation centers. These materials were donated to the Graduate Theological Union by Seda S. Suzuki, widow of Lester E. Suzuki.
- Extent:
- 1 linear foot (1 box)
- Language:
- Languages represented in the collection: English
- Preferred citation:
-
Suzuki, Lester E. collection, GTU 2000-11-02. Graduate Theological Union Archives, Berkeley, CA.
Background
- Scope and content:
-
The materials were donated to the Graduate Theological Union by Mrs. Seda S. Suzuki. They contain some of Lester Suzuki's books and three drafts of his doctoral thesis.
- Biographical / historical:
-
Lester Suzuki was born in Waipahu, HI in 1909. He moved to San Jose in his teens and later graduated from San Jose State University. In 1934 Suzuki met and married Seda Shizuko Ito. He went on to receive a Masters of Divinity in 1935 from Drew Seminary, New Jersey. Suzuki became one of the first Nisei Methodist ministers; his first pastorate was in Wapato, Washington.
During World War II Suzuki and his family were moved to a Japanese relocation center. One of his sermons may be found in "The Sunday Before: Sermons by Pacific Coast Pastors of the Japanese Race on the Sunday before Evacuation to Assembly Centers in the Late Spring of 1942." Suzuki was active in the Historical Society of the United Methodist church and wrote a biography on the Life of Bishop Merriman Colbert Harris.
In 1976 he received a Doctor of Ministry from San Francisco Theological Seminary in San Anselmo, his thesis was inspired by his experiences in the relocation centers was called: Ministry in the Assembly and Relocation Centers of World War II. He died in Berkeley, CA in 1999 after an extended illness.
- Acquisition information:
- The materials were donated to the Graduate Theological Union by Mrs. Seda S. Suzuki.
- Arrangement:
-
The box has been arranged with research materials first followed by the three drafts of the thesis, one chapter per file.
- Physical location:
- Stored at GTU.
- Rules or conventions:
- Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: a Content Standard
Indexed terms
- Subjects:
- Japanese Americans--Religious life.
Japanese--United States--Religious life.
Japanese Americans--Evacuation and relocation, 1942-1945. - Indexes:
-
Index
Suzuki, Lester E
Access and use
- Restrictions:
-
Collection is open for research.
- Terms of access:
-
Copyright has not been assigned to The Graduate Theological Union. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Archivist. Permission for publication is given on behalf of The Graduate Theological Union as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader.
- Preferred citation:
-
Suzuki, Lester E. collection, GTU 2000-11-02. Graduate Theological Union Archives, Berkeley, CA.
- Location of this collection:
-
2400 Ridge RoadBerkeley, CA 94709, US
- Contact:
- (510) 649-2523/2501