Support to combat Racial Intolerance - Max L. Weinberg

While there were occurrences of support based on Christian obligation, or even support enshrined in doubt or prejudice, there were still other examples of support for Nisei student attendance around the community. Such supporters appeared to have a broader understanding of the complexity of the situation. While the Japanese Empire posed a significant threat to the nation, there were Americans who understood the separation between Japan and Japanese Americans. However, this did not always reflect an understanding of the Japanese people separate from their government and military.

Attorney Max L. Weinberg, writing from the W.C.U. Building in Illinois, provided a nuanced argument, offering that: 

"Our refusal to receive native-born Japanese into our colleges seems very narrow-minded and to refuse to do so will at this time work a great hardship upon the Federal Government...Also it appears to me, that to refuse to do so will only add fuel to the already racial-hatred for which we bitterly condemn Hitler’s regime for at this time" (Letter from Max L. Weinberg to Dr. Young, Aug. 28, 1942).

Additional residents shared Weinberg’s sentiments throughout the duration of the "Battle of Parkville."

Hayashi, Brian Masaru. Democratizing the Enemy: The Japanese American Internment. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 2008. 

“Letter of Support From Mr. Weinberg to Dr. Young,” letter from Max L. Weinberg to Dr. Young, Aug. 28, 1942. Located in Francis Fishburn Archives and Special Collections, Park University Nisei Collection, Park University, Parkville, MO, ID: PC-L-1942.1.315.