The Unjust Incarceration of Japanese Americans During World War II

On December 7, 1941, the attack on Pearl Harbor plunged the United States into World War II. While this event united many Americans in grief and resolve, it also marked the beginning of a dark chapter for Japanese Americans. Over 120,000 individuals of Japanese descent, many of whom were American citizens, faced unjust alienation, discrimination, and physical displacement from their homes and communities.

The Rise of Anti-Japanese Sentiment

For over 50 years leading up to 1941, Japanese American communities had flourished in the United States, particularly on the West Coast. These communities comprised both immigrants who had lived in the U.S. for decades and American citizens by birth. However, the attack on Pearl Harbor ignited a wave of racism, paranoia, and fear, casting Japanese Americans as potential traitors.

• FBI agents began conducting searches of homes, confiscating personal belongings, and detaining community leaders without due process.
• This environment of suspicion and hostility was further fueled by political opportunism and a lack of leadership, setting the stage for discriminatory policies.

Executive Order 9066: Legalizing Discrimination

On February 19, 1942, President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, a pivotal moment that formalized the removal of individuals deemed a threat from designated "military areas." This order disproportionately targeted Japanese Americans, including those with even partial Japanese heritage.

Initially, Japanese Americans were encouraged to relocate inland from restricted zones. However, the government's actions, such as freezing bank accounts and imposing curfews, made it nearly impossible for many families to comply. By March, a proclamation effectively trapped Japanese Americans within these military zones, preventing them from changing their place of residence.

Life in the Camps: A Harsh Reality

In May 1942, the U.S. Army forcibly moved Aki Kurose and her family, along with over 7,000 other Japanese Americans living in Seattle, to "Camp Harmony" in Puyallup, Washington. This makeshift detention center, located at a former fairground, was just one of many hastily constructed facilities used to house entire families in cramped and unsanitary conditions.

Over the following months, the Army transported Japanese Americans to long-term camps in desolate areas of the West and South. These overcrowded and unsanitary prisons were often still under construction when incarcerees arrived. Medical care was inadequate, and illness was rampant.

Enduring Hardship and Resistance

The War Relocation Authority relied on the labor of incarcerees to maintain the camps. Many worked in camp facilities, taught in under-equipped classrooms, or cultivated crops and raised livestock. While some Japanese Americans chose to resist through labor strikes and riots, others, like Aki's parents, sought to maintain a sense of normalcy amidst the harsh realities of their confinement.

Determined to escape the confines of the camp, Aki completed her final year of high school at Minidoka and, with the support of an anti-racist Quaker organization, enrolled at Friends University in Kansas.

The Aftermath and the Fight for Justice

In late 1944, a landmark Supreme Court case challenged the legality of detaining American citizens without charges, marking a turning point in the fight for justice. By the fall of 1945, the war had ended, and the camps were finally closed.

Incarcerees were given a mere $25 and a train ticket to their pre-war address, but many returned to find their homes and jobs gone, replaced by others. Post-war prejudice made it difficult for them to rebuild their lives. Aki's family was fortunate enough to retain their apartment, and she eventually returned to Seattle after college. However, she faced discrimination in her search for employment.

Seeking Atonement and Reconciliation

Japanese Americans were not alone in their fight against racial discrimination. Aki found work with one of Seattle's first interracial labor unions and joined the Congress of Racial Equality. She became a teacher and dedicated herself to advocating for multicultural, socially conscious education.

Recognizing the need for accountability, the children of incarcerees launched a movement calling for the United States to atone for this historic injustice. In 1988, the U.S. government officially apologized for the wartime incarceration, acknowledging that it was a result of racism, hysteria, and failed political leadership.

Three years later, Aki Kurose received the Human Rights Award from the Seattle Chapter of the United Nations, celebrating her vision of peace and respect for all people.

The incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II stands as a stark reminder of the dangers of prejudice and the importance of safeguarding civil liberties. It is a history that must be remembered and learned from to prevent similar injustices from occurring in the future.