P2288.xml RAINBOW CLUB: An Inventory of Its Records Finding aid prepared by Frank P. Hennessy. Minnesota Historical Society
St. Paul MN.

Manuscripts Collection

 Finding aid encoded by Stephanie Grabowski,March 3, 1999. Finding aid written inEnglish August 2008Converted from EAD Version 1.0 to Version 2002 by Monica Manny Ralston, Daniel Sher, and Joyce Chapman. OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION Minnesota Historical Society Rainbow Club (Minneapolis, Minn.). Rainbow Club records. 1945-1995. Records describing the activities of a Twin Cities social club established in 1947 to foster friendship and understanding among individuals of different racial, cultural, and religious backgrounds. 0.8 cu. ft. (2 boxes). See Detailed Description for shelf locations. SCOPE AND CONTENTS OF THE COLLECTION

Records describing the activities of a Twin Cities social club established in 1947 to foster friendship and understanding among individuals of different racial, cultural, and religious backgrounds. The bulk of the collection consists of the club's dismantled record books (1945-1995) which contained its constitution and bylaws, board minutes, treasurer's reports, membership rosters, event programs, newspaper clippings, photographs, flyers, and occasional correspondence. A group of newspaper clippings, obituaries, and memorial announcements related to individual members, and an audio tape of a radio program called Twin City Roundtable (January 16, 1955), are also included. The program featured an interview of the club's first president, Robert Mitchell, concerning the club's history and objectives.

In 1943 a group called "Twin Cities Married Couples" was formed by Reverend Daisuke Kitagawa, a field secretary with the Federal Council of Churches' Committee on Japanese-American Resettlement. The objective of the group was to bridge the gap between Japanese American families and the civilian population in the Twin Cities. After the war the group adopted the name The Rainbow Club (1947) and its membership became more diverse. The variety of club activities documented in the records reflect the club's goal of social interaction, not social reform or the furthering of a political agenda. Among the activities represented are club picnics, parties, circle suppers, an annual International Night at which the club hosted a number of foreign students, and a May dinner which also served as the club's annual meeting. The club officially disbanded in May 1995.

 CATALOG HEADINGS

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.

Topics: Cultural relations. Japanese Americans -- Cultural assimilation -- Minnesota -- Twin Cities Metropolitan Area Japanese Americans -- Minnesota -- Twin Cities Metropolitan Area -- Societies, etc. Japanese Americans -- Minnesota -- Twin Cities Metropolitan Area -- Socialization. Places: Twin Cities Metropolitan Area (Minn.) -- Clubs. Twin Cities Metropolitan Area (Minn.) -- Ethnic relations. Twin Cities Metropolitan Area (Minn.) -- Race relations. Twin Cities Metropolitan Area (Minn.) -- Social conditions -- 1945- Person: Kitagawa, Daisuke. Organization: Twin Cities Married Couples (Minneapolis, Minn.). Type of Documentation: Audio tapes. ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION Preferred Citation:

[Indicate the cited item and/or series here]. Rainbow Club Records. Minnesota Historical Society.

See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.

 Accession Information:

Accession Number: 15,241

 Processing Information:

Processed by: Frank P. Hennessy, May 1998

PAL ID number: 09-00319918

 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION P22881Record books, 1945-1979. 6 folders P22882Record books, 1980-1995. 4 folders Member lists, 1964-1995. Newspaper clippings, photographs, and miscellaneous printed matter, undated and 1962-1993. Twin City Roundtable (Radio Program): 1/4-inch reel to reel audio tape, January 16, 1955.