Frank H. Ogawa

Frank Hirao Ogawa was born on May 17, 1917, and passed away on July 13, 1994. He was a strong voice for fairness and equal treatment for everyone, especially for people of Japanese heritage living in America.

Ogawa made history as the first Japanese American to join the Oakland City Council in California. He began his service in 1966 and continued working for his community until the day he passed away in 1994.

As a leader, Ogawa fought for civil rights, which means he worked to make sure all people were treated with respect and had the same opportunities, no matter where they came from or what they looked like. His efforts helped improve life for many families in Oakland and beyond.

Early life

Frank Hirao Ogawa was born in Lodi, California and grew up as a Japanese American, known as a Nisei. During World War II, he and his family were moved by the U.S. government to a place called the Topaz War Relocation Center in Utah. They stayed there for the whole war. Before the war, Ogawa married Grace, and they had two children named Alan and Nancy. Sadly, Nancy passed away when she was very young.

After the war ended, Ogawa moved back to Oakland. He worked as a gardener and later saved enough to open his own nursery.

Career

In 1966, Ogawa became the first Japanese American to serve on the Oakland City Council, and he stayed there until 1994. He was also part of the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission from 1972 to 1988.

Ogawa worked with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District from 1979 to 1992. He was a Republican but never ran for a political office that required a specific party. People liked him because he was kind and good at helping different groups agree with each other. In late 1988, he had successful heart surgery.

Death

Frank H. Ogawa passed away in Oakland on July 13, 1994, from lung cancer. He is remembered by his wife Grace, his son Alan, and his two grandchildren, Courtney and Matthew.

Over 600 people attended his memorial service, including a representative from Oakland’s sister city, Fukuoka, Japan. Congresswoman Anna Eshoo praised Ogawa for turning difficult times into opportunities for growth. She mentioned how, during World War II, Ogawa and his wife were forced to leave their home and stay in crowded conditions before being sent to a camp for over three years. Despite this, Ogawa remained loyal to his country. He was elected to the Oakland City Council in 1966, becoming the first Japanese American to hold such a position in a major city in the continental United States. He served for 28 years, the longest tenure in Oakland’s history.

Legacy

When Frank H. Ogawa passed away, the Oakland City Council voted together to rename the City Hall Plaza after him. It is now called Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, and there is a bronze bust of him there for people to see.