Japanese-American Incarceration

Our Speakers:

Christine Umeda: Christine is an active members of the Florin Japanese American Citizens League (JACL). Christine's memories of the internment years begin with how she was transported to camp as a young child and include the unpublished story of an uncle who served in the 442nd Infantry Regiment. Christine's TOR Interview.

Marielle Tsukamoto: Marielle is a retired Elk Grove USD educator and community activist, who has worked tirelessly to continue the work of her mother, the late Mary Tsukamoto. Thanks to Marielle's efforts, the story of the forced removal of thousands of citizens of Japanese heritage from the West Coast following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, is a story that is shared with hundreds of children each year at the California Museum of Women, History and the Arts during the annual Time of Remembrance program. Marielle's TOR Interview

Julie Thomas - Julie is the Instruction and Electronic Records Archivist at Sacramento State's Gerth Special Collections & University Archives, Sac State adjunct History faculty, and steward of the internationally-recognized Japanese American Archival Collection (JAAC) for over 17 years. Julie provides primary source literacy presentations to the campus and surrounding communities, utilizing original objects from the JAAC Collection. Thanks to Julie's efforts, the entire collection has been digitized and is now available to a worldwide audience.

Resources:

Note: Please visit the Time of Remembrance website for additional resources.

Lessons:

• In Response to Executive Order 9066 - From Gail Desler & Kathleen Watt, a hyperdoc lesson to accompany Dwight Okita's poem. (For grades 5-8).
• Writing for Redress - From Elk Grove USD's Melanie Allen. (For grades 5-8)
• Voices of Japanese-American Internees - From the ADL, "Using video histories of Japanese-American internees during World War II, this curriculum unit provides an opportunity for high school students to use this dark period in U.S. history to reflect on the dangers of stereotyping, prejudice and racial and ethnic discrimination, so as not to repeat history."
• A Date That Will Live in Infamy - From the National Archives’ Teaching with Documents series.

Websites:

• We the People - A Story of Internment in America - Mary Tsukamoto (Marielle's mother) co-authored this memoir at age 72 - as part of her life-time commitment to share what happened to her family before, during, and after Executive Order 9066, which removed all citizens of Japanese heritage from the west coast following the attach in Pearl Harbor.
• A More Perfect Union – This site is the result of Mary Tsukamoto’s lifetime dedication to civil rights. Classroom Activity 1 on the Resources page is designed for elementary students.
• Japanese American Archival Collection - In the words of CSU,Sacramento, Special Collections & Manuscript Librarian Julie Thomas, "This is arguably the best collection in the world...representing so many points of view." Here is the link to Julie's recent presentation to a CSUS Political Science class. Former internee Reiko Nagumo joins Julie for the session.
• JARDA Collection – Database is very kid-friendly. Type in your city to bring up a collection of internment photographs related to your community.
• Densho: The Japanese American Legacy Project – An outstanding resource for video clips with former internees, along with lessons for grades 5-12..
• Internment of German Americans – Site gives the statistics and information on the WWII internment camps in the U.S. for Germans, Italians and other Europeans. It calls for a thorough investigation and hearing by Congress on internment.
• Hiyami Diary – Part of the Online Archive of California, Stanley Hiyami’s diary provides a window into the life a young man who spent his high school years in Heart Mountain internment camp.
• It’s Not Fair! PBS Kids – Site introduces young students to fairness fighters – those who fought for political and economics rights for all Americans.
• Ben’s Guide to US Constitution – Kid-friendly tour of the Construction.

Books:

Elementary

• We the People: A Story of Internment in America - Written by Elk Grove educators Mary Tsukamoto and Elizabeth Pinkerton, "this book is a must read for every history class in America and helps us understand the fragile nature of democracy. I’m proud to say that Mary Tsukamoto was not only my 5th grade teacher some 64 years ago, she was also a friend and wonderful role model."
• The Bracelet - Uchida, Yoshiko (1993). New York Times Best Illustrated 1993. Emi, a Japanese-American in the second grade, is sent with her family to an internment camp during World War II, but the loss of the bracelet her best friend has given her proves that she does not need a physical reminder of the friendship. Ages 5-8 years.
• Baseball Saved Us - Ken Mochizuki (1995) (Lee & Low). Successful both as a story within the Internment experience and as a sports story. Tells the story of baseball within an internment camp. Ages 4-up.
• Grandfather’s Journey - Say, Allen (1993). American Library Association Notable Books for Children 1994; Boston Globe-Horn Book Award 1994; Caldecott Medal 1994. Tells the story of a man who emigrates to the United States, raises a family, and feels homesick for his native Japan. Notes that when he moves back to Japan, he longs for his life in the United States. The narrator/grandson also longs to live in both countries. Ages 5-8 years.
• So Far From the Sea - Eve Bunting (1998). Laura Iwasaki and her family visit her grandfather’s grave at Manzanar for the last time and revisit that experience in their family history. Ages 5-up
• The Children of Topaz - The Story of the Japanese-American Internment Camp: Michael O. Tunnell and George W. Chilcoat (1996). This non-fiction book was based on a diary kept by Miss Yamauchi’s third-grade class at the relocation center. Recommended for reading in conjunction with related fiction. Ages 8-up.

Secondary:

• Farewell to Manzanar - Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston and James D. Houston (1974). The true story of Wakatsuki’s own experience as a child growing up at Manzanar. Ages 12-up.
• Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet - Jamie Ford's novel is "set in a time and a place lost forever" and gives us "a glimpse of the damage that is caused by war–not the sweeping damage of the battlefield, but the cold, cruel damage to the hearts and humanity of individual people."
• I am an American: A True Story of the Japanese Internment - Stanley, Jerry (1994). American Library Association Notable Books for Children 1995; School Library Journal Best Book 1994. Tells the story of a Japanese American high school student interred during World War II and relates it to broader historical events of the period. Ages 9-12 years.
• Kira-Kira - Cynthia Kadohata (2004). 2005 Newbery Medal winner. Japanese-American family, living the the oppressive social climate of the South during the 1950 and early 60’s, encounters challenges and family tragedy. Ages 12-up.
• Under the Blood Red Sun - Salisbury, Graham (1994). American Library Association Notable Books for Children 1995; American Library Association Best Books for Young Adults 1995; Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction 1995. Life changes abruptly for 13-year-old Tomikazu Nakaji, born in Hawaii to Japanese parents, after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in December 1941. with his father and grandfather arrested, he becomes responsible for the family honor. Ages 10-up.
• Only What We Could Carry - Lawson Fusao Inada (2000). This nonfiction book tells the story of the Japanese Internment is told through poetry, prose, autobiography, biography, news accounts, government documents, letters, and other primary resources. Ages 14-adult.
• When the Emperor Was Divine - Julie Otsuka (2002). The devastating impact of a Japanese-American family’s internment during WWII unfolds though the shifting perspective of different family members.
• The Moved Outers - Florence Crannell Means (1945). Newbery Honor book. Tells the story of a high school student moving through a series of relocation camps. Ages 12-15
• Kiyo's Story: A Japanese-American Family's Quest for the American Dream - At the outbreak of World War II, Kiyo's family was ordered to Poston Internment Camp. This memoir tells the story of the family's struggle to endure in these harsh conditions and to rebuild their lives afterward in the face of lingering prejudice. To learn more about Kiyo's story, listen to her interview on the Time of Remembrance website.

Hot of the Press:

• They Called Us Enemy - "A stunning graphic memoir recounting actor/author/activist George Takei's childhood imprisoned within American concentration camps during World War II. Experience the forces that shaped an American icon -- and America itself -- in this gripping tale of courage, country, loyalty, and love.

Just Discovered:

• The Crystal City - "In a remote desert town in Southwest Texas, the memories of a lost WWII internment camp are uncovered." Produced by Kenya Gillespie. Note: Content may be inappropriate for students under age 18.
• Hello Maggie, written by Shig Yabu – and illustrated by Willie Ito.

Organizations:

• Florin Japanese-American Citizens League (FJACL)
• Japanese American Relocation Digital Archive (JARDA)