Scope and Content Note
The papers of James Noboru Miho (1929-2022) span the years 1884-2009, with the bulk of the material dating from 1961 to 2009. The collection documents aspects of Miho’s career as a graphic designer and educator. The papers are primarily in English, with Japanese, Korean, Spanish, and some French.
The collection primarily documents Miho's designs in the form of advertisements, books, catalogs, and brochures. Notable among these is Champion International Corporation’s "Imagination Series," a promotional publication featuring illustrations, graphics, and text to highlight the range and uses of the company's paper products. Miho’s creative process is documented in daybooks, diaries, scrapbooks, and handmade booklets, many of which include sketches, watercolor paintings, drafts, ideas, and notes on a range of topics, including international travels, Japanese and Chinese history, and Greek and Roman art. Most also contain business cards, news clippings, paper samples, postage stamps, and other printed matter affixed to pages. The collection contains no documentation of the business aspect of his design work such as engagement with clients and employers, finances, or contracts. Photographs and slides mostly include images from travels incorporated into Miho’s designs and a portfolio with examples of his work dating to 1961. The slides were digitized by Miho in 2009 and comprise the digital photographs in the collection. Miho’s brief career as an educator is reflected in his lectures, though without accompanying syllabi or other documents related to this aspect of his career. Likewise, the collection lacks any material related to Miho’s childhood, personal life, relationships, confinement at Tule Lake Relocation Center, or military career.