The Historical Review's Blog

Nearly 100 years ago on February 19th, 1942 the signing of Executive Order 9066 authorized the forcible internment of Japanese Americans and Japanese immigrants across the West Coast of the United States based on “national security” following the attacks on Pearl Harbor. Internment took a devastating economic and social toll on Japanese American communities, who were forced to leave behind their homes, businesses, and lives they had established. The order, signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt effectively displaced over 120,000 people. Included in this were 7,000 Japanese Americans residing in Seattle, forcing a longstanding and vibrant community into camps across the country, like the Minidoka internment camp in Idaho.

It was in the aftermath of these events that novelist John Okada wrote “No-No Boy” in 1957. The novel follows Ichiro Yamada’s experience of coming home to Seattle following his imprisonment for being a “no-no boy”– the colloquial name for those who answered no to both questions on the “loyalty questionnaire” asking if they would serve on combat duty and swear “unqualified allegiance” to the US, denouncing any allegiance to Japan. Okada used the novel to express a deep sense of bitterness and disillusionment with the country for turning against the Japanese American community. The conflicting feelings of identity and Ichiro’s struggle with being both Japanese and American in the book are powerful metaphors for the broader experiences of Japanese Americans during World War II. The book navigates the conflicting perspectives of Japanese Nationals, like Ichiro’s mother who expresses her loyalty to Japan and a want to return, and their American-born children, such as Ichiro’s brother Taro, who identified more with the US than Japan. The story is insightful, heart-wrenching, and full of nuance from Okada’s skillful incorporation of the historical context of Executive Order 9066, the significant economic and social losses suffered during internment, and his own experience of being interned at Minidoka. 

As we approach the anniversary of Executive Order 9066, "No-No Boy" serves as an important reminder of the terrible human cost of xenophobia, racism, and discrimination. By depicting the experiences of Japanese Americans after internment, Okada shows the challenges of rebuilding a life and a community in the face of ongoing prejudice and discrimination. It is a story that remains relevant to the issues of discrimination, marginalization, and systemic injustice in our society. The legacy of internment continues to be felt in Seattle and across the country, especially with the rise of anti-Asian sentiment and increased hate crimes. Seattle’s International District that Ichiro comes home to in “No-No Boy” is home to many Asian-American communities in modern day, including Japanese Americans who were affected by the executive order and World War II. The neighborhood is a historical treasure and the heart of Asian-American culture and heritage in Seattle, but it has also been subject to discrimination, violence, and economic disparities. 

Seattle’s current thriving Asian community is a testament to the resilience of those who fought for their rights and dignity in the face of oppression. But, all too often reflections on the treatment of Japanese Americans during World War II reduce it to a learning experience without acknowledging the American government’s instigation of an order that single-handedly undid generations of work and devastated communities for years to come.  The enduring repercussions of Executive Order 9066 and John Okada’s novelization of its impact on Japanese Americans in Seattle in “No-No Boy” serve as important reminders of the ongoing struggle for equality and human rights in a country that claims to have its basis in freedom.