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Day of Remembrance (Japanese Americans)

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Day of Remembrance (Japanese Americans)
April 1 orders, based on legislation signed on February 19, 1942, reading "Western Defense Command and Forth Army Wartime Civil Control Administration Followed by Instructions to All Persons of Japanese Ancestry"
(April 1 orders, based on legislation signed on February 19, 1942)
Official nameDay of Remembrance
Observed byPrimarily states within the United States
TypeNational
SignificanceCommemoration of Japanese Americans who were affected by Japanese internment
ObservancesGathering, commence, discussion, activism, art/history exhibits, brief history
Date11 February
FrequencyAnnual
Related toIncarceration of Japanese Americans, World War II, Executive Order 9066, Franklin D. Roosevelt

The Day of Remembrance (DOR, Japanese: 追憶の日,[1] Tsuioku no Hi) is a day of commemoration for the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II.[2] It is a day for people of Japanese descent in the U.S. to reflect upon the consequences of Executive Order 9066.[3] The Day of Remembrance also creates a space for the facilitation of dialogue and informing the public about the repercussions of such government action.[3] Events in numerous U.S. states, especially in the West Coast, are held on or near February 19, the day in 1942 that Executive Order 9066 was signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, requiring internment of all Americans of Japanese ancestry.[4] Areas where people of Japanese descent in the U.S. were forced to relocate included Arizona, Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Arkansas, and Idaho.[5] There are events held in each of these states as well.[5] Events are not only relegated to the West Coast and it is widely observed in areas such as New England, Chicago, Alaska, Philadelphia, and New York.[3]

Presidential proclamation and reception to proclamation

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In 2022, President Joe Biden issued a presidential proclamation declaring February 19, 2022 as the national Day of Remembrance of Japanese American Incarceration During World War II.[6]

Congresswoman Doris Matsui released a statement noting that on Day of Remembrance, "The Japanese American community comes together to not only reflect, but to tell our story, teach others, and lift up the voices of our community," and noted that all Americans "Share the charge to ensure that our country not only learns from, but never forgets its past."[7]

Observance

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Day of Remembrance is observed across the United States. General practices and activities include a day of commemoration, remembering those affected by Executive Order 9066 and a brief history of the events of Japanese internment. It can also include panel discussions, speeches, presentations, art walks, film observance, general activism and firsthand accounts.[8][9][10][11]

Washington

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The first Day of Remembrance, observing the day that Executive Order 9066 was signed and authorizing the Japanese American internment, was in the state of Washington on November 25, 1978, organized by the Evacuation Redress Committee. Co-sponsors included thirty churches, veterans' groups, and other social organizations, as well as the national Japanese American Citizens League (JACL). The event took place mainly at the Puyallup fairgrounds, which had served in 1942 as the assembly center named Camp Harmony. Although initially resistant, the board of the Western Washington Fair ultimately voted unanimously to allow the event to use the fairgrounds free of charge. The National Guard provided several large trucks similar to those used in 1942 to lead a caravan from Sicks' Stadium in Seattle to Puyallup, replicating the route taken by some of the internees. One of the key organizers of the first day of remembrance was Chinese-American writer, Frank Chin.[12]

Jay Hirabayashi performs a butoh dance piece in memory of his parents, Gordon and Esther Hirabayashi, at a Day of Remembrance event in Seattle, Washington, February 22, 2014.

The University of Washington Department of American Ethnic Studies held its first Day of Remembrance program in 1997, and has held such a program all but three of the years since. At the 2008 ceremony, called The Long Journey Home, the university granted honorary baccalaureate degrees to all 449 of their former Japanese American students who had been affected by Executive Order 9066.[13]

The state of Washington has officially recognized the DOR since 2003.[14]

Oregon

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Japanese American Memorial (Eugene, Oregon)

The first Day of Remembrance event in Oregon occurred February 17, 1979, less than three months after the initial Washington event. Like the Washington event, it was held at a detention site: the former site of the Pacific International Livestock Exposition, which, in 1942, had been the site of the Portland Assembly Center.[15]

More recently, on February 19, 2022 a Day of Remembrance mini exhibit opened in the Japanese American Museum of Oregon.[16] This mini exhibit helps educate the public to help honor and remember those impacted by the incarceration of Japanese Americans.[16] In addition to this mini exhibit, The Portland Japanese Citizens Americans League is known to hold Day of Remembrance events. The most recent even was held was on February 17,2024 and was open for public attendance again working to educate the public and empower individuals to stand up for Asian Americans.[17]

California

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In 1986 Governor George Deukmejian declared February 19, 1986 to be a Day of Remembrance in California, the first DOR designation by the state of California.,[18] two and a half years before the "redress bill" (Civil Liberties Act of 1988) was signed on August 10, 1988.[19]

In 2013, a ceremony was to be held in San Francisco's Japantown district.[20][21][22] Los Angeles County has officially recognized the day.[23]

More recently, in 2023, the Day of Remembrance was celebrated at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles.[24] The event included talks from guest speakers, music performances, and art. This specific event embodied the theme of uniting voices to show that the strength of a democracy comes from the people within it. This remembrance also included calls to action.[24]

Colorado

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History of Colorado Center, an image of a brown building with a winged roof.
History Colorado Center

In Colorado, the earliest recorded Day of Remembrance event was held February 17th, 2013 at the History Colorado Center in Denver, Colorado.[25] The event was hosted by the Mile High Chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) and consisted of 5 Japanese American speakers Carolyn Takeshita, Rose Tanaka, Bob Fuchigami, Aiko Okubo and Min Mochizoki. Each of these speakers shared their stories of Japanese internment and the events that occurred the day they were forced out of their homes and what life was like after. In each of their cases, these events happened when they were only children. The event lasted a day and gathered a crowd of over 200 people.  

Camp Amache located in Granada, Colorado is one of the centers built as internment camp for japanese americans.[26] In present day, Camp Amache is now known as Granada Relocation Center. In March 2022, President Joe Biden signed the Amache National Historic Site Act. This allowed for Amache National Historic Site to officially be a national park. The park currently serves a resource center to help educate the public. This National Park is anticipated to hold Day of Remembrance celebrations and be a critical site of knowledge and remembrance in Colorado.[26]

Arizona

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Recorded Day of Remembrance events in Arizona date back to 2017 and 2021. The event in 2017 was facilitated by the Southern Arizona Japanese Cultural Coalition.[27] During the event in 2017 the Southern Arizona Japanese Cultural Coalition held a discussion with a broad coalition of people who have familial ties to Japanese internment. They included faculty members, photographers, and former government employees, some of whom had direct familial ties to Japanese internment. There was a panel discussion held by the Asian Pacific American Student Affairs located at The University of Arizona in 2021. It included an analysis on Japanese Americans and their mobilization to combat the injustices of Executive Order 9066.[28]

Alaska

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In Alaska, the earliest recorded Day of Remembrance event was held on February 19th, 2016. It was hosted at the Joint-Base Elmendorf Richardson[29] with an attendance of a few dozen people and was a first of its kind event held at the Joint-Base Elmendorf Richardson. The event was a single day event consisting of speaker Alice Tanaka Hikido who as a child, lived through the events of relocation and Japanese internment when she was only 9 years old. The place this event took place in was unique due to the fact the building is resting on a not commonly known internment camp. Knowing this information, it was also noted that in Hikido's presentation references to the prison like containment of the camps were made known.  

Utah

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In Utah, the earliest recorded Day of Remembrance event was held February 19th 2005. The event was held in Salt Lake City's Japantown at the Japanese Church of Christ by the Japanese-American community. The event was held to remember the role the war had on the Japantown and community. The event consisted of speakers such as the United States Representative Mike Honda who recognized February 19th as a day to educate people on the injustices of World War II, University of Utah Professor Haruko Moriyasu as well as the presentation of the 30 minute film Toyo Miyatake: Infinite Shades of Gray, A film based on Toyo Miyatake's secret photography at the Manzanar internment camp.[30][31]

Idaho

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The state of Idaho has been commemorating day of remembrance since the early 2000s. The governor's office often facilitates these events.[32] In recent years the event in Idaho has included films. both involved dialogue about the grave concern of civil rights violations faced by people of Japanese descent but the more broad impact and repercussions of actions that lead to such events.[33][34] in 2023 the state screened the film the Power of Words.[33] In 2024 Idaho screened a film titled Omoiyari created by artist Kishi Bashi. Kishi Bashi recounted his own experience of being impacted by the legacy of Japanese internment and how others were impacted as well.

Other observances

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A black and white photo of an elderly, Japanese grandfather and his young Japanese grandson, on his shoulders at Manzanar Relocation Center, part of the photos that were impounded during the war
A photo of a grandfather and grandson at Manzanar Relocation Center, part of the photos that were impounded during the war

Art installations and photo exhibits

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Utah

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February 11, 2019, the University of Utah's American West Center sponsored and exhibit commemorating Japanese internment.[35] It featured photographs taken by Dorothea Lange and Ansel Adams that captured the experience of those who were forced to be relocated to internment camps.

Juneau, Alaska

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February 14, 2014, the Juneau-Douglas City Museum displayed "The Empty Chair: The Forced Removal and Relocation of Juneau's Japanese, 1941-1951". The Empty Chair is a bronze folding chair sculpted by Peter Reiquam, designed to give the visitor an idea of what the sculpture is memorializing. The sculpture is placed on simulated floor boards that are similar to the gymnasium floor the graduation ceremony for the Juneau High School class of 1958.[36]

See also

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Day of Remembrance (Japanese Americans).

References

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  1. ^ Norman Mineta (February 18, 2021). "2021年、追憶の日" [2021, Day of Remembrance] (Press release) (in Japanese). Japanese American National Museum.
  2. ^ "CAPAC Members, Congressional Leaders Recognize Day of Remembrance for Japanese Internment" (Press release). Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. February 19, 2013.
  3. ^ a b c Japanese American Citizens League. "Day of Remembrance". JACL. Retrieved 2024-04-14.
  4. ^ The Day of Remembrance is observed officially or unofficially in numerous U.S. states, including:
  5. ^ a b "Japanese-American Incarceration During World War II". www.archives.gov. National Archives. Retrieved 2024-04-15.
  6. ^ "Day Of Remembrance Of Japanese American Incarceration During World War II". The White House. February 18, 2022. Retrieved 2022-10-26.
  7. ^ "Matsui Statement On Presidential Proclamation Commemorating Day of Remembrance". matsui.house.gov (Press release). February 18, 2022. Retrieved 2022-10-26.
  8. ^ "The Incarceration of Japanese-Americans in Arizona: Perspectives, Reflections and Afterlives". ASU Events. Retrieved 2024-03-29.
  9. ^ "External Event: Panel Discussion, Taiko's Core Values: Beyond Roots". School of Music. University of Washington. Retrieved 2024-03-29.
  10. ^ "HOME". San Jose Nihonmachi Outreach Committee. Retrieved 2024-03-29.
  11. ^ "Day of Remembrance (February 19th)". www.sjsu.edu. Center for Asian Pacific Islander Student Empowerment. Retrieved 2024-03-29.
  12. ^ Jennifer Ott (August 23, 2010). "First Day of Remembrance (of World War II incarceration of Japanese Americans) is held at the Puyallup Fairgrounds on November 25, 1978". HistoryLink.org. Essay 9464.
  13. ^ "Day of Remembrance Commemorations", Courage in Action: the Life and Legacy of Gordon K. Hirabayashi, program for a symposium of the same name that took place at Kane Hall, University of Washington, February 22, 2014. This lists the program for each year; there is no listing for 1999, 2001, or 2005.
  14. ^ "RCW 1.16.090 Legislative declaration for civil liberties day of remembrance". Washington State Legislature. Retrieved 2014-02-27.
  15. ^ Mitzi Loftus (May 18, 2023). "Day of Remembrance". The Oregon Encyclopedia. Portland State University.
  16. ^ a b "In the library: Day of Remembrance Mini Exhibit". jamo.org. Japanese American Museum of Oregon. February 2022. Retrieved 2024-04-15.
  17. ^ "Day of Remembrance 2024". Portland JACL. Retrieved 2024-04-15.
  18. ^ Gillam, Jerry (February 19, 1986). "Governor Issued a proclamation designating today as..." Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2023-06-14.
  19. ^ "Civil Liberties Act of 1988". Densho Encyclopedia.
  20. ^ "San Francisco: Japanese Americans commemorate internment camps". abclocal.go.com. February 17, 2013. Archived from the original on 2014-03-05. Retrieved 2013-03-23.
  21. ^ Gil Asakawa (February 17, 2011). "Not Enough People Know About Japanese Americans' Day of Remembrance". The Blog. TheHuffingtonPost.com. Archived from the original on 2013-06-30. Retrieved 2013-03-23.
  22. ^ "'Remembrance' Marks Japanese-American Plight". Tell Me More. NPR. February 19, 2008. Retrieved 2013-03-23.
  23. ^ Addison, Brian (February 19, 2012). "Day of Remembrance for Japanese-Americans Interned During WWII". Long Beach Post. Archived from the original on 2017-09-08. Retrieved 2013-03-23.
  24. ^ a b "2023 Los Angeles Day of Remembrance". www.janm.org. Japanese American National Museum. Retrieved 2024-04-15.
  25. ^ Nguyen, Joe (February 24, 2013). "Japanese-Americans share stories of World War II internment". The Denver Post. Retrieved 2024-04-01.
  26. ^ a b "Granada Relocation Center, CO". www.nps.gov. U.S. National Park Service. Retrieved 2024-04-15.
  27. ^ Classen, Carolyn (February 6, 2017). "Day of Remembrance (of E.O. 9066) at Tucson Desert Art Museum". Southern AZ Japanese Cultural Coalition. Retrieved 2024-04-05.
  28. ^ "Day of Remembrance". Asian Pacific American Student Affairs. Retrieved 2024-04-05.
  29. ^ Hughes, Zachariah (February 23, 2016). "Japanese community recalls JBER internment camp". Alaska Public Media. Retrieved 2024-04-01.
  30. ^ Florido, Adrian (February 17, 2017). "Photos: 3 Very Different Views Of Japanese Internment". NPR. Retrieved 2024-04-14.
  31. ^ "Toyo Miyatake". www.janm.org. Japanese American National Museum. Retrieved 2024-04-14.
  32. ^ "Join us for the Day of Remembrance in Idaho". Friends of Minidoka. Retrieved 2024-04-14.
  33. ^ a b Idaho State Historical Society. "Day of Remembrance: The Power of Words". The Official Website of the State of Idaho. Retrieved 2024-04-14.
  34. ^ "2024 Day of Remembrance". Friends of Minidoka. Retrieved 2024-04-14.
  35. ^ "Photo Exhibit by Dorothea Lange and Ansel Adams Commemorates Japanese American Internment". UNews Archive. University of Utah. March 25, 2011. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  36. ^ "About". The Empty Chair Project. July 28, 2012. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
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