Interviews

1. Gained appreciation of his multiracial heritage through participation in Nisei Relays

2. Attending Japanese school

3. Making a speech in Japanese

4. Talking with Grandmother

5. Growing up and identity

(b.1971) Professional football player.

Gained appreciation of his multiracial heritage through participation in Nisei Relays

When I was younger I attended Japanese school on Saturdays, and I think that's when I first found out about the Nisei Relays. At first it was kind of unusual because you go to the relays and there's all Japanese people, and then I show up, and people are wondering, like, who's this guy? Why is he in the race? And then you know, of course, they'd see me with my mom and my dad, and they'd go 'Oh, okay.' So that was a lot of fun because it was really my first organized track meet that I was in. I really grew from there, and I learned a little bit about the culture, and I think really developed an appreciation for my Japanese heritage.

hapa racially mixed people

Date: February 7, 2000

Location: California, US

Interviewer: John Esaki

Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum.

Interviewee Bio

Johnnie James Morton, Jr. was born in Inglewood, CA in 1971, the son of an African American father and Japanese American mother. As a child, he attended Saturday Japanese school in Gardena for three years. Growing up in Torrance, California, he graduated from the University of Southern California after a distinguished career as a student athlete on the Trojan football team.

Morton is a twelve-year veteran in the National Football League and currently plays wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers. He has done some modeling and acting work, including an appearance playing himself in the film Jerry Maguire. (August 10, 2005)

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Addressing multiracial identity can be difficult

Starred at wide receiver for Dartmouth College, now a patent attorney. Brother of Johnnie and Chad Morton.