Mile High Japanese American Citizens League

The Mile High Japanese American Citizens League, based in Denver, CO, is the local chapter of the nation's largest and oldest civil rights organization dedicated to Americans of Japanese ancestry. Since 1938, the Mile High JACL has been actively engaged in civil rights advocacy, cultural education, and community programming throughout the greater Denver metropolitan area. As part of the national Japanese American Citizens League founded in 1929, the organization works to secure and maintain civil rights protections for Japanese Americans and all individuals facing injustice and bigotry. The Denver-based chapter provides educational initiatives designed to increase awareness of Japanese American history and foster cultural understanding within the broader community. The Mile High JACL's commitment to civil rights extends beyond the Japanese American community, working to protect and advocate for all minority groups facing discrimination. The organization promotes cultural, educational, and social values while preserving the heritage and legacy of the Japanese American experience. With deep historical roots in Colorado—where the organization's first president, Dr. Shimpei Sakaguchi, established a leadership legacy that continues today—the Mile High JACL remains dedicated to upholding constitutional principles of fairness and equality. Through community engagement and advocacy work, the Denver organization continues the mission established nearly a century ago, striving to create a world that honors diversity and respects the rights of all people.