Henry Hajimu Fujii

Who was Henry Hajimu Fujii?

Henry Fujii was a pioneer and Japanese American community leader in the state of Idaho. His primary vocation was in agriculture. In the 1930s, Fujii was recognized as a pioneer in large-scale onion farming, advancing the acreage scale of which a farmer could raise crops. In 1936, he established the Japanese Onion Growers Association and served as the organization's president for over 30 years.

As a Japanese immigrant living away from the West Coast of the United States, Fujii was not part of the Japanese American internment, maintaining a residence in Nampa, Idaho throughout World War II. Although he, like most other Japanese Americans, was the subject of significant racial persecution in the mid-1940s, Fujii maintained strong community relationships and leadership. His community presence served as a significant contributor to the well-being and rights preservation for Asians in the northwestern United States. The Emperor of Japan awarded Fujii the 6th Order of the Rising Sun, Silver Rays, which represents the sixth highest of eight classes associated with this award.