Halford Wilson Correspondence 1938

This file contains a textual record.

This file contains correspondence between Halford Wilson and various citizens, organizations, and officials including: the Attorney-General of the United States regarding American “measures adopted to control the Orientals”; The Royal Society of St. George offering support to Wilson’s “most worthy fight against the Oriental penetration of British Columbia” in which Wilson replies that “Oriental aggression”, in his view, was “particularly by the Japanese”; British Columbia Immigration Board of Review thanking Wilson for his report on “Oriental penetration into Vancouver business life”; the Native Sons of British Columbia thanking Wilson for his efforts; and the Vancouver Dry Goods Company complaining about garments being produced out of Japanese homes. Most of the letters from private citizens concern Japanese-Canadians and naturalized citizens. In one such letter (16 May 1938) the writer complains that he or she witnessed “a couple of Japanese taking moving pictures of [the] airport”. In another letter (24 May 1938) the writer requests the return of legislation banning Asian women from entering the province; and another (4 June 1938) complains about Japanese women receiving pension.

Wilson, Halford David, 1904-1988 created this archive during his time as a Vancouver politician.

The digital copies of the records were acquired by the Landscapes of Injustice Research Collective between 2014 and 2018.

This record was digitized in full.