Interview with Nick the Barber, owner of Tacoma's Finest Clippers for over fifteen years. Paul and Nick discuss the future of his shop, local happenings in the Black community of the South Sound region, and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

A conversation with those dealing with homelessness and tent cities. Tracey Collins discusses the conditions in tent cities and the outreach work he does with Northwest Urban Ministry. Members of VOCAL (Voices of Community Activists and Leaders) also discuss their history of homelessness and advocacy work for homeless people. Videos filmed throughout September and October 2016.

TACOMA., Washington -- A WINNER -- Bill Smitherman, left, won his race for a seat in the Washington House of Representatives, to become the only Black in that legislative body. His father, Willy Joel Smitherman, right, also ran for a House seat, but lost.
Associated Press Photo

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The Rev. George Stallings conducts services at the Allen African Methodist Episcopal Church/ Stallings has broke away from the Roman Catholic Church and has founded his own Imani Temple in Washington D.C.
NEWS/MAYNARD; Staff Photo by Bill Hunter

Panorama of the Fellowship Club's New Year's Eve Party.

Native American and European Americans posing at Owens beach in informal as well as traditional dress.

The Yoshihara - Youchura (sp?) Wedding with bride, best maid and two flower girls around ceremonial figures and floral arrangements.

Bride and family in formal dress at the Yasuda-Miyamoto wedding with floral arrangements and Buddhist imagery in the background.

"Indian Murals, Mural being painted at Cushman Hospital, Tacoma Arts, 1937." Artist Julius Twohy was photographed as he stood on a scaffold to create a mural across the 72 foot long dining room wall at the Cushman Hospital at 2002 East 28th Street. The artist was a member of the Ute tribe from the Uintah Basin in eastern Utah.

Copy of customer print. Native Americans camping in hops field. Huddled together between three tents is a crowd of Native American families. They may have been employed at Ezra Meeker's hop fields prior to 1900. Photograph ordered by Washington State Historical Society.

Indians of North America; Hops;

Group portrait of eighteen young women, and a child, who are members of the Puyallup Valley Japanese-American Citizens League dance group. They will be performing a ceremonial dance in traditional Japanese dress during "Japan Night," a Japanese bazaar, to be held at Fife High School on November 12, 1938. Over 1,000 people attended the event that offered a glimpse into the island empire's ancient culture. In the afternoon, girls in kimonos served Japanese noodles, rice curry and "osushmis" as well as American salads, pies and hot dogs. In the evening, a program of the dances of old Japan was performed before a background of cherry blossoms and red, white and blue hangings. (T. Times, 11/10/1938, p. 20; 11/14/1938, pg. 3).

Kimonos; Japanese-American Citizen's League (Tacoma); Japanese Americans--Fife--1930-1940; Ceremonial dancers; Japanese Americans--Dance;

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Nez Perce tribe member Jo Ann Kauffman, Executive Director of the Seattle Indian Health Board, poured a can of Treaty Beer into a garbage can. She appeared at a press conference condemning the new product and said the can contained "Hate and prejudice." Conference was at Indian center near Fort Lawton.
Bruce Kellman/News

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--New Life--
A plastic bathtub is something new to Vietnamese refugees Long Vo and his wife, Lahn, both 21, who arrived in Wenatchee last month. They are starting a new life with their 2-year-old daughter, Tien, and infant son.

A child sleeps at Sea-Tac Airport after an 11-hour flight from Hong Kong. They were among 300 refugees who had arrived in early June 1979 at Sea-Tac Airport.

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Serving food in this photo: On left are patrons of the free lunch. On right is Anna Maria Garcia. Next to her is Arturo Garcia, holding another plate of food. Men at the table are not identified.
A Mexican style lunch was served at the Nativity House in downtown Tacoma Wednesday. The rice, beans and meat for large burritos were supplied by Arturo Garcia, owner of Moctezuma restaurant. The meal was the idea of Anna Maria Garcia, a social worker with the Health Department's AIDs Outreach program. She asked Mr. Garcia, (who is no relation) to provide the food. Father Gary Smith, S. J., is director of the Nativity House. His establishment provided the setting. Anna Maria Garcia said that a table with literature used in the fight against AIDS was placed where the guests would have access to the information. She said many of the people she meets in her work are Latinos. The idea was to give them a Latino meal during Christmas week.
Note: McDonald's on 6th Avenue provided the orange drinks.
Bruce Kellman/Photo

Three Japanese men spin a bicycle wheel at one of the games of chance offered at a Japanese bazaar held in the Fife High School Gymnasium. (T. Times).

Japanese Americans--Fife--1930-1940; Bazaars--Fife--1930-1940; Ethnic groups--Fife--1930-1940; Games--1930-1940;

Native Americans, listed in Richards records as Margie, Abraham, Charlie and others, gather under a tree at the annual tribal gathering in the Puyallup Valley at hop picking time. The Native Americans will pick the hops during the day and gather at night to socialize and play ancient games with other tribe members from Washington and British Columbia. (T. Times 8/30/1934, pg. 1+)

Indians of North America; Migrant agricultural laborers--Puyallup--1930-1940; Migrant laborers--1930-1940; Hops;

In 1934, Hisasha & Ruby Kumasaka received $10,000 each in the will of 80-year-old logger Sweny Smith. Ruby, 7, and Hisasha, 5, were the children of Mr. and Mrs. Tom Kumasaka of 1706 Broadway. For eight years, the family had taken Smith into their home and taken care of him. Despite his Norwegian heritage, Smith observed the Japanese holidays, attended the Buddhist church and followed the family's customs. He spoke of the two children as his grandchildren. On his deathbed in St. Joseph's Hospital, he told the children that he was going to the Great Beyond to watch over them and their growth, and directed them to a safety deposit box in the Washington Building that contained his will leaving everything to them for their kindness. The Kumasaka family, unaware that the frugal logger had any wealth, expected only a meagre amount, but found that the will left $10,000 to each of the children. (T. Times 10/31/1934, pg. 6)

Japanese Americans--Tacoma; Children--Tacoma--1930-1940; Kumasaka, Ruby; Kumasaka, Hisasha;

Members of Company B, 163rd Infantry pose at attention. Company B was composed almost entirely of Native Americans, mostly Sioux from the Fort Peck Indian Agency in Northeast Montana. They served in the Montana National Guard until they were inducted into national service in September of 1940. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, they were some of the first to be sent overseas, where they fought the Japanese on New Guinea and in the Philippines. Native Americans served in the Armed Forces at a disproportionately high rate in World War II. More than 44,000 served, out of a total population of less than 350,000, most of them as volunteers. Native Americans have the highest record of military service per capita when compared to other ethnic groups. (T.Times 12/11/1940 p.1)

Indians of North America--Sioux tribe; Montana National Guard, 163rd Infantry, Company B--Camp Murray; Ethnic groups--Indians of North America;

Members of the Montana National Guard, Company B, 163rd Infantry, 41st Division pose at attention for inspection. The company is composed primarily of Sioux from the Fort Peck Indian Agency. The company was inducted into federal service in September 1940 and sent to the Pacific. They were part of the most decorated army division in the Pacific Arena. (T.Times 12/11/1940 p.1) TPL-10595

Indians of North America--Sioux tribe; Montana National Guard, 163rd Infantry, Company B--Camp Murray; Ethnic groups--Indians of North America;

Nine Native American members of Company B 163rd Infantry, a Montana National Guard regiment composed primarily of Sioux Indians, stand for inspection at Camp Murray in December of 1940. This unit reformed in 1922, the original Company B had also been comprised of Native Americans and served in World War I. Partially because of the outstanding volunteer effort of Native Americans during World War I, in 1924 Congress granted U.S. citizenship to all Native Americans. One result of this action was that native men between the age of 21 and 35 became eligible for the draft under the Selective Training and Service Act of September 16, 1940. However, most Native Americans served on a volunteer basis. More than 44,000 of them, out of a total population of less than 350,000, served with distinction between 1941 and 1945. (T. Times 12/11/1940, pg. 1)

Indians of North America--Sioux tribe; Montana National Guard, 163rd Infantry, Company B--Camp Murray; Ethnic groups--Indians of North America;

A diminutive drill sergeant adjusts the helmet chin strap on one of the soldiers from Company B, 163rd Infantry during inspection. Company B was part of the Montana National Guard and was composed almost exclusively of Sioux Indians from the Fort Peck reservation. They were inducted into federal service in September of 1940 and were based out of Fort Lewis. After Pearl Harbor, they were among the first troops sent to the Pacific, where they served bravely for the duration of World War II. TPL-1955 (T. Times 12/11/1940, pg. 1)

Indians of North America--Sioux tribe; Montana National Guard, 163rd Infantry, Company B--Camp Murray; Ethnic groups--Indians of North America;

A group of African Americans look on for the cutting of a cake at an unidentified social event at the USO #2, 713-715 Commerce St., circa 1946. The cake has four candles, possibly indicating that it was in honor of the Club's fourth anniversary in September of 1946. In the group were Helen B. Stafford (second from left), Arthur Hayes (fifth from left), Maude Leonard (seventh from left) and Louise Beck (back of center, in hat.) (photograph by F.L. Powell of Tacoma)

From September of 1942 until the end of March, 1947, 713-15 Commerce housed USO #2, a club reserved for the entertainment of servicemen and women of color. One of the unique activities in the club took place each year during "Be Kind to Animals" week. Servicemen assisted in the planning and production of a dog show with the pets of local children. Ribbons were presented to the best in each catagory. In this photograph dated September 16, 1945, unidentified children and servicemen pose with a variety of dogs at the club. (photograph by F.L. Powell of Tacoma)

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The Rev. Jerry Sanders rejoiced in his God given freedom from heroin and cocaine as he witnessed at an anti drug service at New Jerusalem Church of God in Christ, on the Hilltop, in Tacoma.
News/Maynard
Bruce Larson Photo

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Action Upward at Hilltop with story.
Photograph by Richards Studio

Three young children stand on either side on a man holding a basketball.

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El Comite
Alex Almonte (left) Paul Castillo (right)
Photograph by Jerry Buck

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El Comite
Mrs. Yenin Webster
Photograph by Jerry Buck