Asian American Political Alliance 1968

It was no accident that the Asian American movement began in Berkeley, California. – also the birthplace of the Free Speech Movement (FSM) at the University of California at Berkeley (UCB). Social activists worldwide were drawn to this center of the student and antiwar movement in the ‘60s. It was a couple—Yuji Ichioka, a UCB history grad student, and Emma Gee—both of whom were civil rights activists, who initiated a Peace and Freedom Party caucus by phoning every Asian-sounding name listed on Party petitions in the Berkeley/East Bay area.

In May 1968 those half-dozen or so who responded met in the Berkeley’s Northside Ichioka/Gee apartment – from then on affectionately referred to as “AAPA home” by its members, because that is how they felt when being around others like them for the first time. Unanimously they agreed to form an historic independent organization - the Asian American Political Alliance (AAPA). They quickly enlisted others; hammered out a program*; designed a logo, button and colors; worked out alliances; and boldly introduced itself to the public in July 1968.

AAPA was the first self-named group that called themselves “Asian American,” a term that Ichioka proposed. These AAPA founders, while young in age, were all political veterans from a wide range of experiences. And while most were UC Berkeley students, they never envisioned AAPA as a student organization but a much broader, all-inclusive, community grassroots alliance. Several had from their working class youths been involved with the United Farm Workers (UFW) and other labor organizing, while another was an Army veteran and Black Panther Party member, and all were involved in the ongoing civil rights/black power, anti-war and anti-poverty movement.

These AAPA founders also consciously and carefully chose “Political” and “Alliance” in the group’s name to distinguish itself from previous ethnic groups that had a more social and/or club-like connotation. They did this not to denigrate existing groups like the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), whom AAPA respected and worked with on progressive issues, but to forge an openly anti-imperialist political organization for all Asian nationalities, one that could stand on an equal basis with the other dominant Third World groups at the time, as part of the international Third World liberation movement for self-determination.

The term “Asian American” quickly became a unifying force among the different Asian ethnic groups. AAPA chapters and other similarly self-titled Asian organizations rapidly spread throughout the US. AAPA opened an avenue of activism for many Asian Americans who later played vital roles in the social transformations of the period, including the Third World Liberation Front Strikes at San Francisco State College and UC Berkeley, the International Hotel tenants struggle, and the formation of Asian Studies and Third World College curriculums nationwide. Just as their Third World brothers and sisters had done, AAPA, as the Asian American expression of “Power to the People!”, enabled Asian Americans to rename, reclaim, redefine, and liberate themselves from oppression.

AAPA Rally July 28, 1968

Excerpts from a speech written by Richard Aoki for the AAPA rally July 28, 1968

“We Asian-Americans believe that American society has been, and still is, fundamentally a racist society, and that historically we have accommodated ourselves to this society in order to survive...

We’re sick and tired of being sick and tired of being sick and tired of relating to white standards of acceptability...We’re tired of hearing the racist chant about “if you’re white...” This has wreaked havoc upon our cultural identity...

At this point I would like to say a few words about the servant syndrome prevalent in this white racist society...As most of you know the typical Oriental is thought of as a servant (and dig--servants are not considered equals anywhere in time and place)...The Chinese are regarded as laundrymen (fit only for woman’s work), the Japanese are regarded as gardeners. the Filipinos are regarded as chauffeurs...

We are sick of being used by the white racist power structure... Don’t rock the boat...Used as an example...

We Asian-Americans support all non-white liberation movements and believe that all minorities in order to be truly liberated must have complete control over the political, economic and social institutions within their respective communities”.

We unconditionally, support the struggles of the Afro-American people, the Chicanos, and the American Indians in to attain freedom, justice and equality...

We Asian-Americans oppose the imperialist policies being pursued by the American government...

Professor Miyoshi has presented our views on the Vietnam war...We are unconditionally against the war in Vietnam...
some of us view the war as another one of white racist America’s trickbag….They are committing double genocide over there..Dig, if a black, brown or yellow brother is sent to Vietnam he is being sent to kill his yellow brother.. if the black, brown or yellow brother kills the Vietnamese..Mr. Charley comes out ahead, and if the Vietnamese kills the black brown or yellow brother, Mr. Charley again comes out ahead...This is a classical case of heads I win, tails you lose...

In conclusion, I would like to add that the Asian-American Political Alliance is not just another Sunday social club_. We are an action-oriented group, and we will not just restrict our activities to merely ethic issues, but to all issues that are of fundamental importance pertaining to the building of a new and a better world."

UC Berkeley Asian American 1969

Photos from AAPA Newspaper 1969