Masuji Miyakawa

Masuji Miyakawa (1870-1916) was a pioneering Japanese-American lawyer, scholar, author, and civil rights advocate, renowned as the first Asian-American graduate of Indiana University School of Law (LL.B. 1905) and the first Japanese American admitted to the U.S. bar. Born in Fukushima, Japan, he earned prior degrees from George Washington University (LL.M. 1903) and the University of Illinois (D.C.L.), became a naturalized U.S. citizen, and played a key role in the 1906 San Francisco school segregation case, contributing to the 1907 Gentleman's Agreement. He authored works such as 'Life of Japan' and lectured extensively on Japanese affairs and the American constitution.