Occupation Professor Award Order of the Rising Sun | Spouse(s) Amy Ranko Ogawa | |
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Born September 7, 1943 (age 73) ( 1943-09-07 ) Manzanar, California Notable work Jan Ken Po: The World of Hawai`i's Japanese Americans, Kodomo No Tame Ni - For the Sake of the Children, The First Nisei Children Quin Hajime Ogawa
Owen Takematsu Ogawa
Autumn Ruriko Ogawa Awards Order of the Rising Sun Alma mater University of California, Los Angeles Parents Alice Tsutako Ogawa, Frank Masanobu Ogawa Books Jan ken po, Kodomo No Tame Ni‑For the, California Hotel and Casino: H, First Among Nisei, From Japs to Japanese | ||
Dr. Dennis Masaaki Ogawa received his Ph.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1969 where he was honored as one of the founders of the UCLA Asian American Studies Center. He is a professor and former Chair at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, American Studies Department and his teaching and research interests are in the area of Japanese American Studies, Television and Ethnic Identity, and Multicultural Studies.
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Early life
Ogawa was born on September 7, 1943 to Frank and Alice Ogawa while they were interned in Manzanar Relocation Center in Owen's Valley, one of ten Japanese American internment camps during World War II.
After the camps were closed, the Ogawa family returned to their home in Santa Monica, California. He attended John Adams Middle School and Santa Monica High School, graduating in 1961.
In 1966, Ogawa received his B.A. in Communication from the University of California, Los Angeles. He received his M.A. in 1967 and a Ph.D. in 1969; while completing his Doctorate, he helped to found the UCLA’s Asian American Studies Center.
Career
After completing his graduate work at UCLA, Dr. Ogawa came to the University of Hawaii at Manoa in 1969 as an Assistant Professor in the Speech Department. Stemming from his interest in Japanese American studies, he helped establish the Department of Ethnic Studies at UH and served as its Director from its inception in 1970 to 1972.
Department of American Studies
He accepted a position as an Associate Professor in the Department of American Studies in 1971 and was promoted to Professor in 1978, a position which he still holds today. Ogawa was Graduate Chair of American Studies from 2001 to 2003 and Chair of American Studies from 2003-2007.
Notable works
Books