Larry Oda and Tim Thomas

Larry Oda was born in a Justice Department Internment Camp in Crystal City, Texas during World War II and lives in Monterey, California.  He was educated in Monterey City Schools and earned his Bachelor’s and Master's degrees from California State University, Fresno.

Larry is Chair Emeritus of the National Japanese American Memorial Foundation and served two terms as the National President of the Japanese American Citizens League. He has served on the Buddhist Churches of America (BCA) National Board, and President of the BCA Coast District Council, and is currently a Trustee of the Big Sur Land Trust. He is the author of The Seapride Canning Company and the Oda Family History

Larry retired as the Maintenance Superintendent and Administrative Hearing Officer after 27 years with the City of Salinas, California.  His interests include US-Japan Relations, Auto Restoration, and Golf.

Tim Thomas is a fisheries historian and author who has researched the fisheries and cultural history of Monterey for over thirty years. For sixteen years he was the Historian/Curator for the Monterey Maritime Museum. Tim is the co-author of Monterey’s Waterfront, author of the Japanese on the Monterey Peninsula, and author of The Abalone King of Monterey: “Pop” Ernest Doelter, Pioneering Japanese Fishermen & The Culinary Classic that Saved an Industry.

Tim is also the historical consultant for the Monterey Bay Aquarium and has worked and developed programs for Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary and California State Parks. Tim has been featured on PBS, BBCand on C-span 

He is on the board of directors of the Monterey Japanese American Citizens League and curator of Japanese American Heritage Center. He has traveled and lectured extensively on the Monterey Japanese community both here and in Japan. 

Learn more about the Japanese American Citizens League of Monterey Peninsula at jacl.org.

Chapters is a multi-part series concerning the history and the lessons of civil rights violations or civil liberties injustices carried out against communities or populations—including civil rights violations or civil liberties injustices that are perpetrated on the basis of an individual’s race, national origin, immigration status, religion, gender, or sexual orientation.

This project was made possible with support from Chapman University and The California Civil Liberties Public Education Program, a state-funded grant project of the California State Library.

Guests: Larry Oda and Tim Thomas
Hosts: Jon-Barrett Ingels and Jonelle Strickland
Produced by: Public Podcasting