In Their Own Words: Interviews

Yosh Nakagawa Interview

Yosh Nakagawa

Streaming Media

Interviewer

Schmidt, Rich

Interviewer

Weber, Camille

Document Type

Video File

Duration

1 hour 40 minutes 11 seconds

Publication Date

10-30-2015

Disciplines

Oral History

Abstract

Yosh Nakagawa spent his childhood in an internment camp near Twin Falls, Idaho during World War II and came to Linfield College in 1951. While he only spent one year at the school, his time at Linfield impacted him greatly. As a person of color, he wasn't allowed to join any of the fraternities on campus. However, he was invited and did join a sorority. Nakagawa went on to work in the sports world, making equipment and breaking down barriers in athletics for both people of color and women. Over the years Nakagawa has returned to campus as a member of the Board of Trustees and as a guest lecturer.

In this interview, Nakagawa speaks about the seminal events of his life and how they changed his path in various ways. In addition to sharing stories from his time at Linfield, he offers insight into the plights of the past and present such as race relations, the devastating effects of war, and the loss of freedom. He concludes by sharing his life philosophy and providing advice to students for the future.

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