Notes on the History of Japanese American Incarceration during WWII

Introduction to Aki Kurose

• Aki Kurose, born Akiko Kato, was a Japanese American living in Seattle.
• Experienced the shock of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, at 16 years old.
• Japanese American communities had existed in the US for over 50 years by 1941.
• Aki faced racial discrimination shortly after the attack.

Pearl Harbor Attack and its Aftermath

• Pearl Harbor attack intensified racism and paranoia against Japanese Americans.
• FBI began raids and detentions without trial among Japanese American communities.

Executive Order 9066

• Issued by President Roosevelt on February 19, 1942.
• Authorized the removal of individuals of Japanese descent from designated military areas.
• Resulted in freezing bank accounts and local restrictions, preventing Japanese Americans from moving.

Internment of Japanese Americans

• Aki and family were moved to "Camp Harmony" in Puyallup, Washington in May 1942.
• Camp Harmony: Makeshift detention centers in converted fairgrounds and racetracks.
• Later moved to Minidoka in Idaho, a long-term camp.
• Camps were unsanitary and overcrowded; incarcerees managed camp operations.

Life in Internment Camps

• Incarcerees often faced poor conditions: overcrowding, lack of medical care.
• Some organized protests; others like Aki's family endured.

Post-War Adjustment

• Aki left camp for education with Quaker support and attended Friends University.
• Supreme Court case in late 1944 ruled indefinite detention unconstitutional.
• Camps closed in 1945; ex-incarcerees faced discrimination and hardship.
• Aki's family returned to Seattle; faced difficulties finding work.

Aki's Advocacy and Legacy

• Became active in interracial labor unions and racial equality organizations.
• Promoted multicultural education and impacted thousands of students.

U.S. Government Apology

• Movement for atonement led to a formal apology in 1988.
• In 1991, Aki received the Human Rights Award from the Seattle Chapter of the United Nations.

Conclusion

• Aki Kurose's story highlights the harsh realities of internment and the enduring struggle for justice and equality.