Exhibit: Santa Barbara Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage, 1870s-1970s
Harold Mitsugi Sumida (1910-2000)
La Sumida Nursery Owner, Veteran, Community-Oriented
By Kate Lima
Sumida headshot: SB News-Press
Harold was born in Ninole, Hawaii on April 13, 1910, to Kuichi Yamasaki (father) and Mitsuno Sumida. For the first 19 years of his life he lived and traveled between Hawaii and Japan, landing on the mainland in 1929. He spoke very little English, but he had lofty dreams.
One such dream was to fly an airplane. He signed up for a pilot program and during a particularly difficult lesson Sumida’s instructor told him to “try and maintain altitude.” The only word Sumida understood was “try.” He left flight school and immediately took steps to learn the language; he later went back and completed his flight instruction.
In the 1930s and 1940s Sumida ran several florist and produce businesses in the Los Angeles area. When America joined WWII Sumida signed up. He wanted to serve his country.
While in the service Sumida met his future wife, Ethel Ayako Itou; the two married in 1943 and soon became parents to two children, Hilton Masami and Karen Leiko.
After the war, the Sumida family came back to California in 1945. They first moved to Summerland, then Santa Barbara. There was a lot of racism toward people of Japanese descent at the time, and Sumida was not immune – even while wearing a U.S. Army uniform. “I remember going into a market on Milpas and a man there said, “Why don’t you go back where you came from,” Sumida recalled in a 1991 interview. “And I was wearing my uniform at the time.”
But Sumida took the view that such hardships help strengthen one’s will and character. “After you suffer, you realize how lucky you are,” Sumida said in 1991. That was the year he received the News-Press Man of the Year Award for his many contributions to the community. His contributions were numerous.
Hilton Sumida yearbook photo
Harold and Ethel Sumida, 1958
Original La Sumida location at upper State Street
Harold and Ethel opened the first La Sumida Nursery in 1958 at 3880 State Street. Immediately he encountered many challenges. Other nursery owners told the suppliers that they would boycott them if they provided stock to Sumida. Sumida told a reporter that he didn’t know if the boycott was because he was Japanese or because he was their competition, but whatever the cause “it made me stronger.”
As a result, Sumida had to buy most of his goods directly from the growers. The result? He cut out the middleman. He then kept his prices low and gained loyal customers.
Eventually he opened two more nurseries, one on Milpas St. and the other on Patterson Ave. During a 1982 interview Sumida said that he never made much money, but he was passionate about the work.
“There is not much of a profit in the nursery business. You have to love this profession. One of the reasons I stick to it is that you are able to help the person or family that comes in, and at the same time you beautify the community. It’s very rewarding.”
Sumida semi-retired in 1985, handing the business over to his son Hilton. During his business career, Sumida served in leadership roles for many businesses. He served as President of Northside Business Association, as a Lifetime Director of Chamber of Commerce, and President of Santa Barbara Landscape Gardeners’ Association. As mentioned earlier, Sumida was given the News-Press Man of the Year Award in 1991.
Harold Sumida also worked to strengthen bonds between Japan and the United States. He earned a medal of honor from Japanese Emperor Hirohito for his tireless efforts.
Harold Mitsugi Sumida passed away on Sep 12, 2000 and is buried at the Santa Barbara Cemetery.
Harold and Ethel Sumida, founders of La Sumida Nursery
Acknowledgements
Much of this article comes from a Santa Barbara News-Press Obituary for Sumida, 9/14/2000.