Ugly History: Japanese American incarceration camps - Densho
TLDROn December 7, 1941, Aki Kurose, a 16-year-old Japanese American, witnessed the Pearl Harbor attack and the subsequent alienation of over 120,000 Japanese Americans. Aki's family faced social and physical isolation, with President Roosevelt's Executive Order 9066 leading to their forced relocation to internment camps. Despite hardships, Aki pursued education and later became an advocate for multicultural education, impacting thousands. The US government apologized for the wartime incarceration in 1988, acknowledging the injustice caused by racism and hysteria. Aki was awarded the Human Rights Award for her vision of peace and respect for all.
Takeaways
- 🇯🇵 Aki Kurose, a 16-year-old Japanese American, experienced the horror of the Pearl Harbor attack alongside millions of Americans.
- 🏠 Following the attack, over 120,000 Japanese Americans, including Aki's family, faced social and physical alienation from their country.
- 📈 The Japanese American community had been growing in the US for over 50 years, with one-third being immigrants and the rest American citizens.
- 🏫 Aki grew up in a diverse neighborhood in Seattle, identifying as an American until a teacher accused her and her people of bombing Pearl Harbor.
- 🔍 Amidst racism and paranoia, the FBI began searching homes and detaining Japanese American community leaders without trial.
- 📜 President Roosevelt's Executive Order 9066 led to the forced removal of Japanese Americans, including partial Japanese heritage individuals, from military areas.
- 🚫 The government imposed restrictions like curfews and froze bank accounts, trapping many Japanese Americans in military zones.
- 🚶♂️ Aki and her family were among those forcibly relocated to makeshift detention centers like 'Camp Harmony' in Puyallup, Washington.
- 🏚️ Long-term camps in desolate areas were hastily built, leading to overcrowded and unsanitary conditions for the incarcerees.
- 👨👩👧👦 Incarcerees were relied upon to run the camps, with many working in facilities, teaching, or raising crops and animals.
- 🎓 Aki managed to leave the camp and continue her education with the help of an anti-racist Quaker organization, eventually enrolling at Friends University in Kansas.
- 📚 A Supreme Court case in 1944 ruled the detention of American citizens without charges as unconstitutional, leading to the closure of the camps in 1945.
- 💼 Post-war, incarcerees faced discrimination and resentment, struggling to find work and rebuild their lives.
- 🏆 Aki Kurose became an advocate for multicultural education, impacting thousands of students, and was awarded the Human Rights Award in 1991.
- 🙏 The US government officially apologized for the wartime incarceration in 1988, acknowledging it was a result of racism, hysteria, and failed leadership.
Q & A
What significant event did Aki Kurose experience at the age of 16?
-Aki Kurose, at the age of 16, experienced the attack on Pearl Harbor by Japanese planes on December 7, 1941.
How did the attack on Pearl Harbor affect Aki's perception of herself as an American?
-After the attack, Aki's perception of herself as an American changed when a teacher told her, 'You people bombed Pearl Harbor,' highlighting the shift from feeling American to being singled out as Japanese.
What was the impact of Pearl Harbor on the Japanese American community in the United States?
-Following the attack, the Japanese American community faced racism, paranoia, and fears of sabotage, leading to their labeling as potential traitors and subsequent detainment.
What was Executive Order 9066 issued by President Roosevelt on February 19, 1942, and what was its effect on Japanese Americans?
-Executive Order 9066 authorized the removal of any suspected enemies, including anyone of even partial Japanese heritage, from designated 'military areas.' This led to the forced relocation and detainment of over 120,000 Japanese Americans, including Aki's family.
Why were Japanese Americans unable to leave the restricted areas as initially expected?
-The government's actions, such as freezing their bank accounts and imposing local restrictions like curfews, made it difficult for many Japanese Americans, including Aki's family, to leave the restricted areas.
What was 'Camp Harmony' and where was it located?
-'Camp Harmony' was a makeshift detention center located in Puyallup, Washington, where Aki and over 7,000 Japanese Americans from Seattle were initially moved.
What were the conditions like in the long-term camps where Japanese Americans were relocated?
-The long-term camps, such as Minidoka where Aki's family was relocated, were overcrowded, unsanitary, and often still under construction. People frequently fell ill and were unable to receive proper medical care.
How did Aki manage to leave the internment camp and pursue higher education?
-Aki was able to leave the internment camp and enroll at Friends University in Kansas with the aid of an anti-racist Quaker organization after finishing her final year of high school at Minidoka.
What was the legal turning point that began to change the situation for Japanese Americans during World War II?
-A landmark Supreme Court case in 1944 ruled that the continued detention of American citizens without charges was unconstitutional, which began to change the situation for Japanese Americans.
What assistance did the remaining incarcerees receive after the war ended and the camps were closed down?
-After the war ended and the camps closed down, the remaining incarcerees were given a mere $25 and a train ticket to their pre-war address, although many no longer had a home or job to return to.
How did Aki contribute to society after the war and what recognition did she receive for her efforts?
-After the war, Aki became a teacher and an advocate for multicultural and socially conscious education, impacting thousands of students. She also joined the Congress of Racial Equality and worked with interracial labor unions. In recognition of her efforts, Aki was awarded the Human Rights Award from the Seattle Chapter of the United Nations in 1988.
What action did the US government take in response to the wartime incarceration of Japanese Americans?
-In 1988, the US government officially apologized for the wartime incarceration, admitting it was the result of racism, hysteria, and failed political leadership.
Outlines
🗝️ WWII Internment of Japanese Americans
This paragraph recounts the experience of Aki Kurose, a 16-year-old Japanese American, and her community's plight following the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. Aki, along with over 120,000 Japanese Americans, faced social and physical alienation. Despite a history of Japanese American communities in the US for over 50 years, with many being American citizens, they were labeled as potential traitors amid racism and paranoia. Executive Order 9066 led to their forced removal from military areas, with Aki's family among those relocated to makeshift detention centers like 'Camp Harmony' and later to Minidoka internment camp. The camps were overcrowded and unsanitary, with many internees falling ill. Despite the harsh conditions, some, like Aki's parents, endured and sought to maintain a semblance of normal life. Aki managed to leave the camp for education with the help of an anti-racist organization, while her family's situation began to change following a Supreme Court ruling in 1944 that detention without charges was unconstitutional. Post-war, Aki faced challenges due to prejudice but found work and became an advocate for multicultural education, impacting thousands of students.
🏆 Aki Kurose's Recognition and Legacy
The second paragraph highlights the recognition of Aki Kurose's contributions to human rights and her fight against racial discrimination. In 1988, the US government officially apologized for the wartime incarceration, admitting it was a result of racism, hysteria, and failed leadership. Three years after the apology, Aki was awarded the Human Rights Award by the Seattle Chapter of the United Nations. This award celebrated her vision of peace and respect for people of all backgrounds, acknowledging her efforts in fostering an inclusive society and her resilience in the face of adversity.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Pearl Harbor
💡Japanese Americans
💡Executive Order 9066
💡Internment
💡Camp Harmony
💡Minidoka
💡War Relocation Authority
💡Racial Discrimination
💡Quaker Organization
💡Congress of Racial Equality
💡Redress Movement
💡Human Rights Award
Highlights
On December 7, 1941, Aki Kurose, a 16-year-old Japanese American, experienced the Pearl Harbor attack.
Japanese Americans faced social and physical alienation post-Pearl Harbor.
Japanese American communities had been in the US for over 50 years, with one-third being immigrants.
Aki Kurose, born in Seattle, grew up considering herself American until being labeled as 'You people bombed Pearl Harbor'.
Japanese Americans were labeled as potential traitors, leading to FBI searches and detentions.
President Roosevelt's Executive Order 9066 authorized removal of suspected enemies, including those of Japanese heritage.
Japanese Americans were forced to leave restricted areas and migrate inland, with many unable to due to frozen bank accounts and curfews.
A proclamation in March forbade Japanese Americans from changing their residency, effectively trapping them in military zones.
Over 7,000 Japanese Americans, including Aki's family, were moved to makeshift detention centers like 'Camp Harmony'.
Japanese Americans were relocated to long-term camps in desolate areas, such as Minidoka in Idaho.
The hastily built camps were overcrowded and unsanitary, leading to frequent illness.
Incarcerated Japanese Americans were relied upon to keep the camps running through various roles.
Aki Kurose finished high school at Minidoka and enrolled at Friends University in Kansas with the help of an anti-racist organization.
A landmark Supreme Court case in 1944 ruled the continued detention of American citizens without charges as unconstitutional.
Post-war, the camps closed and remaining incarcerees were given $25 and a train ticket to their pre-war address.
Post-war prejudice made it difficult for Japanese Americans to find work and rebuild their lives.
Aki Kurose worked with interracial labor unions and joined the Congress of Racial Equality, advocating for multicultural education.
In 1988, the US government officially apologized for the wartime incarceration, admitting it was due to racism and failed leadership.
Aki Kurose was awarded the Human Rights Award in 1991 for her vision of peace and respect for all people.
Transcripts
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