By Lexie Blakeman, Exec. News Editor
and Sofia Williams, News Editor
The Manhattan Beach Unified School District’s (MBUSD) board unanimously approved a pedestal and plaque honoring the Uyumatsu family, the former owners of the land which Mira Costa High School was built upon.
Chuck Currier, retired Mira Costa teacher and head of the Mira Costa History Project, along with Mira Costa Principal Ben Dale, researched the history of the Uyematsu family and introduced the project to the MBUSD board.
“Around seven years ago, Mr. Currier and I were talking about the history of Mira Costa. I found in one of [Costa’s past] yearbooks a reference to the Uyematsu family,” said Mira Costa Principal Dr. Ben Dale. “[Currier researched] the history and put together the idea for the plaque, and we took it to the school board, who approved it.”
Francis Uyematsu arrived in the United States in 1904 with several other Japanese immigrants, and became successful in breeding Japanese camellias and cherry trees. He earned the nickname “Camellia King” by pioneering temperature-controlled greenhouses. Despite restrictions on Japanese citizenship and land ownership, Uyematsu was able to acquire farmland and expand his business, Star Nurseries, to three locations, including a 120-acre site in Manhattan Beach.
“[Francis] was part of the Japanese immigrant community that contributed greatly to the success of California agriculture, including produce farming and the flower and nursery business,” said Amy Uyematsu, Francis Uyematsu’s granddaughter.
The Uyematsu family was unable to avoid internment during World War II, but negotiated their placement at Manzanar, the closest camp to Los Angeles, by donating 1,000 cherry trees for a park there. However, their indefinite detention made it necessary to sell most of the Manhattan Beach nursery parcel by parcel—the only option at the time to sustain the Uyematsu business.
“When he and his family were evacuated, [Uyematsu’s] Star Nurseries operated in Montebello, Sierra Madre, and Manhattan Beach,” said Uyematsu. “His business suffered greatly while he was at Manzanar, and in subsequent years, much of the valuable land he owned in Montebello and Manhattan Beach had to be sold.”
The plaque honoring Francis Uyematsu and his descendants is on track to being completed by the end of this school year, and will be recognized with a dedicatory ceremony and unveiling. The monument, which will be constructed in the Mira Costa quad, is an important symbol for much of Costa’s Asian-American community.
“We’re sharing their legacy, and showing our awareness of what happened [to the Uyematsus] back then,” said Maddie Feng, Vice President of Costa’s Asian-American Club. “It’s great that we’re finally recognizing [the Uyematsus], since there aren’t a lot of Asian people in Manhattan Beach.”
According to Dale, the plaque is a way for students to learn more about Mira Costa’s history. However, the monument is just a first step to becoming more educated about racism and prejudice, according to Feng.
“One concrete step [towards recognition of Asian-Americans] is to promote ethnic studies in the public school curriculum,” said Uyematsu. “Public libraries can also make sure they carry books about the histories and contributions of nonwhites in this country.”
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