Japanese Americans, At Home, In Camp Historical and Cultural Context

1. Japanese Americans, At Home, In CampHistorical and Cultural Context • History of discrimination against Japanese and Japanese Americans • Immigration from Japan: illegal until 1890 • Exclusionists wanted to extend Exclusion Act of 1882 to Japanese (it had targeted Chinese) • Restrictive quotas: “Gentlemen’s Agreement of 1907”” stipulated how many Japanese would be allowed into the US each year • Prohibited unskilled workers • In US, unions excluded Japanese; barred from holding professional positions; • Early 20th century, school districts segregated Japanese students from white students.

2. History of Japanese immigration • Between 1910 and 1920, “Protective leagues pressured legislature to restrict the economic power of Japanese immigrants. • 1913 California passed Alien Land Law: “aliens as ineligible for citizenship could not own agricultural property, could only lease lands for 3 years and could not bequeath land to other aliens ineligible to citizenship; could not hold more than 50% of the stock in any landowning corporation. • To get around this families put the titles and leases into eh names of their American-born children • 1920, law passed making it illegal to put titles/leases in American-born children’s names

3. Japanese Americans • Denied US citizenship based on race • Unlike European immigrants, Japanese immigrants denied naturalized citizenship: citing a 1790 law that restricted citizenship to whites; upheld as late as 1922. • In 1924 Johnson-Reed Act passed, allowing only “racially eligible” immigrants in, cutting off immigration from Japan almost completely.

4. Johnson-Reed Act of 1924 changed demographics of Japanese American community: gap grows between • Issei: first generation born in Japan • Nissei: second-generation born in US • Discrimination in society causes Japanese Americans to isolate themselves, retain cultural heritage longer than most immigrant groups. Children taught Japanese language and culture in schools parents established

5. Discrimination reemerged after US entered WWII, Dec. 7, 1941. • Fear and prevalent racial stereotypes of the time caused US government to treat Japanese Americans differently than European immigrants (Germans and Italians) • Searches of private residences, surveillance, search and seizure

6. Work: agriculture, commercial fishing and canning industries Majority of berries and vegetables grown in California Urban service economies: restaurants, hotels and shops Ethic: work hard, academic achievement

7. Evacuation and Internment • February 19, 1942, Pres. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066: authorized removal of Japanese and Japanese Americans from West Coast • 2-3 days notice, bedding and 2 suitcases • Bused to holding areas (racetracks, fairgrounds), then by train detention centers inland • Many lost land, homes and businesses

8. Loyalty questionaires in camp • 20,000 eligible for service • “No, No” boys: refused to fight for country that violated their rights as citizens • “Fighting 442nd”: fought, highly decorated • 1945, US Supreme Court rules internment had been unconstitutional • 1988 formal apology and $20,000 reparation for each surviving internee

9. Telling Stories, Leaving a Legacy • Internees, their children and families continued to be affected by the camp experience • The opposite of history is silence • The stories must be told: address issues of silence and shame • In giving voice to the experience of one’s ancestors, one serves as a witness.