Defense of Former Star-Bulletin editor Riley Allen has been posthumously honored with a Special Recognition Award by the Asian American Journalists Association in part for defending and respecting Japanese Americans during World War II when many other U.S. newspapers warned of a "Yellow Peril."
Japanese Americans
earns honor for editor
The late Riley Allen, former
Star-Bulletin editor, rose
above WWII stereotypingBy Genevieve A. Suzuki
gsuzuki@starbulletin.comIn presenting the award at its national convention in Dallas Friday night, the AAJA cited Allen's editorials against the internment of Japanese Americans during the war, his refusal to use the word "Jap" in the newspaper, and his advocacy for public education for non-white children.
The Special Recognition Award is the association's highest award for non-Asian Americans given by the AAJA, a nonprofit organization that provides support for Asian-Pacific Americans in journalism and promotes fair and accurate coverage of its community.
Former Star-Bulletin reporter Lyle Nelson said the key to Allen's success was his motto, "Get their names in the paper."
"Not only did he get names in the paper, but he felt that the low man on the totem pole was the important one to talk to," Nelson said.
Allen, who was editor from 1912 to 1960, assigned his reporters features covering the Filipino and Korean communities because he felt they were severely under-represented, Nelson said.
He said the Star-Bulletin was one of the few newspapers in the nation that refused to use the slur word for Japanese in their post-World War II stories. "The J-A-P word was in most the major papers," he said.
The Star-Bulletin under Allen also recognized Hawaii's nisei soldiers during World War II, sending correspondent Lyn Crost to cover their battles in Europe, while competitor the Honolulu Advertiser wrote an editorial saying too much attention was being given to Japanese-American soldiers.
"The Bulletin was really local people-conscious," said Ted Tsukiyama, a World War II veteran and member of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. "The Advertiser was really anti-Japanese. They made the Star-Bulletin look good in contrast."
Helen G. Chapin, author of "Shaping History: The Role of Newspapers in Hawaii," said Allen and the Farrington family -- former-Star-Bulletin owners -- were ahead of their time. "They saw times were changing and they helped change them."
"I think it was a combination of good business sense and a genuine feeling," Chapin said about the Star-Bulletin's editorial policies and the hiring of Asian-Americans and women. "(They knew that) it's not just the haoles who are going to buy the newspapers or the advertising."
Trinidad Peltier, who was hired as Allen's editorial secretary 47 years ago, remembers her former boss as being well liked in the community. "Riley Allen was a champion of Asian Americans in Hawaii," she said.
"His presence in the community was outstanding. Every function in town, he'd be there representing the Star-Bulletin," Peltier said.
Allen was 28 when he was hired by then-publisher Wallace Rider Farrington.
Allen, who died in 1966 at age 82, championed several causes, said Doris "Dee" Smyser, whose husband, the late A.A. "Bud" Smyser, former Star-Bulletin editor, began working at the Star-Bulletin as a cub reporter under Allen's tutelage. "[Bud] considered Riley one of his mentors."
In 1919, Allen was one of two leaders with the Red Cross who helped 800 refugee children found in Russia's Ural Mountains reunite with their families, she said.
There was, however, another side to the man who threw a Christmas party every year at his Pacific Heights home for Star-Bulletin staff members and their children.
"Despite going everywhere and doing everything, he was a very lonely man," said Peltier, who explained that Allen was a widower early in his life and never remarried.
"That is why he devoted his life to the community," she said. "He adopted Hawaii.
"Hawaii was his family."
Star-Bulletin reporter Craig Gima
contributed to this report.