SENATE RESOLUTION

                            8628

By Senators Johnson, Shin, Benton, Brown, Carlson, Constantine, Costa, Deccio, Eide, Fairley, Finkbeiner, Franklin, Fraser, Gardner, Hale, Hargrove, Haugen, Hewitt, Hochstatter, Honeyford, Horn, Jacobsen, Kastama, Kline, Kohl-Welles, Long, McAuliffe, McCaslin, McDonald, Morton, Oke, Parlette, Patterson, Prentice, Rasmussen, Regala, Roach, Rossi, Sheahan, Sheldon, B., Sheldon, T., Snyder, Spanel, Stevens, Swecker, Thibaudeau, West, Winsley, and Zarelli

     WHEREAS, We, the members of the Washington State Senate, as we gather here today, are honored to pay tribute to Mr. Takuji Yamashita following his posthumous admission to the Washington state bar; and 

     WHEREAS, Mr. Yamashita came to America as a teenager, graduated from Tacoma High in two years, proceeded to become one of the earliest graduates of the University of Washington Law School in 1902, and thereafter passed the state bar examination; and

     WHEREAS, Mr. Yamashita was one of the twentieth century=s earliest civil-rights crusaders, fighting against the discrimination he faced as a Japanese immigrant by challenging in court three of America=s major barriers against Asians: prohibitions on citizenship, land ownership, and joining a profession; and 

     WHEREAS, Mr. Yamashita, despite the difficulties and frustrations of his time, conducted himself with profound dignity and helped sow the seeds for an America that would permit all people, regardless of race, creed, color or national origin, to more fully pursue the guarantees of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; and 

     WHEREAS,  Mr. Yamashita overcame unjust discrimination to become a successful and compassionate entrepreneur, opening hostelries to house travelers and cafes to feed hungry workers; and

     WHEREAS, Mr. Yamashita quietly exemplified humankind=s best qualities and his struggles for the betterment of America have greatly benefitted us all;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That on this day, we, the members of the Washington State Senate, pause in our endeavors to pay tribute to one of the most honorable Washingtonians, Mr. Takuji Yamashita, some forty one years after his death and following  his posthumous admission to the Washington State bar, in order to call attention to Mr. Yamashita=s accomplishments and dedication to freedom and equality for all; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted immediately from the Secretary of the Senate to the family of Takuji Yamashita, the University of Washington School of Law, the Asian Bar Association of Washington and the Washington State Bar Association.

I, Tony M. Cook, Secretary of the Senate,

do hereby certify that this is a true and

correct copy of Senate Resolution 2001-8628,

adopted by the Senate March 23, 2001.

TONY M. COOK

Secretary of the Senate