Day of Remembrance (Japanese Americans) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Day of Remembrance (Japanese Americans) |
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(April 1 orders, based on legislation signed on February 19, 1942)
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| Official name | Day of Remembrance |
| Observed by | Primarily states within the United States |
| Type | National |
| Significance | Commemoration of Japanese Americans who were affected by Japanese internment |
| Observances | Gathering, commence, discussion, activism, art/history exhibits, brief history |
| Date | 11 February |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Related to | Incarceration of Japanese Americans, World War II, Executive Order 9066, Franklin D. Roosevelt |
The Day of Remembrance (often called DOR, or Japanese: 追憶の日, Tsuioku no Hi in Japanese) is a special day. It helps us remember when many Japanese Americans were forced to live in special camps during World War II.
This day is a chance for people of Japanese heritage in the U.S. to think about what happened because of something called Executive Order 9066. This order was a government action that led to many families losing their homes and freedom.
The Day of Remembrance also helps people talk about these past events. It teaches everyone about the serious effects of such government decisions. Events happen in many U.S. states, especially on the West Coast. They are usually held around February 19. This is the day in 1942 when President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066. This order meant that all Americans with Japanese family roots had to move to these camps.
Japanese Americans were forced to move to places like Arizona, Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Arkansas, and Idaho. Events are held in these states too. The Day of Remembrance is not just on the West Coast. It is also observed in places like New England, Chicago, Alaska, Philadelphia, and New York.
Contents
Remembering the Past
The Day of Remembrance is celebrated all across the United States. On this day, people remember those who were affected by Executive Order 9066. They also learn about the history of Japanese American incarceration.
Events often include group discussions, speeches, and presentations. There might be art shows, film screenings, and ways for people to speak up for what's right. Many events feature firsthand stories from people who lived through these times.
Washington
The very first Day of Remembrance happened in Washington state. It was on November 25, 1978. A group called the Evacuation Redress Committee organized it. Many churches, veteran groups, and other organizations helped. The national Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) also supported the event.
The main event took place at the Puyallup fairgrounds. This fairground was used as a temporary camp called Camp Harmony in 1942. At first, the fair board didn't want to allow the event. But they later agreed to let the group use the fairgrounds for free.
The National Guard provided large trucks. These trucks were like the ones used in 1942. They led a parade from Seattle to Puyallup. This parade showed the route some of the people took when they were moved. A Chinese-American writer named Frank Chin was a key organizer of this first event.
The University of Washington started its own Day of Remembrance program in 1997. They have held it almost every year since then. In 2008, at an event called The Long Journey Home, the university did something special. They gave honorary degrees to 449 former Japanese American students. These students had to leave their studies because of Executive Order 9066.
Washington state has officially recognized the Day of Remembrance since 2003.
Oregon
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Oregon held its first Day of Remembrance event on February 17, 1979. This was less than three months after the first event in Washington. Like the Washington event, it was held at a former detention site. This was the old Pacific International Livestock Exposition grounds. In 1942, it was used as the Portland Assembly Center.
More recently, on February 19, 2022, a small exhibit opened. It was at the Japanese American Museum of Oregon. This exhibit helps teach people about the incarceration of Japanese Americans. It helps honor and remember those who were affected.
The Portland Japanese Citizens Americans League also holds Day of Remembrance events. Their most recent event was on February 17, 2024. It was open to the public. It aimed to educate people and encourage them to stand up for Asian Americans.
California
In 1986, Governor George Deukmejian declared February 19, 1986, as a Day of Remembrance in California. This was the first time the state officially recognized the day. This happened two and a half years before the "redress bill" (Civil Liberties Act of 1988) was signed. This bill gave an apology and some money to those who were wrongly incarcerated.
In 2013, a ceremony was planned in San Francisco's Japantown area. Los Angeles County has also officially recognized the day.
Recently, in 2023, the Day of Remembrance was celebrated at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles. The event included talks from guest speakers, music, and art. This event focused on the idea of "uniting voices." It showed that a strong democracy comes from its people. This remembrance also encouraged people to take action.
Colorado
In Colorado, the first recorded Day of Remembrance was on February 17, 2013. It was held at the History Colorado Center in Denver. The Mile High Chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) hosted it.
Five Japanese American speakers shared their stories. They were Carolyn Takeshita, Rose Tanaka, Bob Fuchigami, Aiko Okubo, and Min Mochizoki. Each person talked about being forced from their homes. They also shared what life was like afterward. Many of them were children when these events happened. Over 200 people attended this day-long event.
Camp Amache, in Granada, Colorado, was one of the camps built for Japanese Americans. Today, Camp Amache is known as the Granada Relocation Center. In March 2022, President Joe Biden signed a law. This law made Amache National Historic Site an official national park. The park now helps educate the public. This National Park is expected to hold Day of Remembrance celebrations. It will be an important place for learning and remembering in Colorado.
Arizona
Day of Remembrance events in Arizona have been recorded since 2017 and 2021. In 2017, the Southern Arizona Japanese Cultural Coalition held a discussion. Many people with family ties to the Japanese incarceration participated. This included professors, photographers, and former government workers.
In 2021, a panel discussion was held by the Asian Pacific American Student Affairs. This group is at The University of Arizona. The discussion looked at how Japanese Americans worked to fight the unfairness of Executive Order 9066.
Alaska
In Alaska, the first recorded Day of Remembrance was on February 19, 2016. It was held at Joint-Base Elmendorf Richardson. A few dozen people attended this first-of-its-kind event there.
The event featured a speaker named Alice Tanaka Hikido. As a child, she experienced being moved and living in the camps. She was only 9 years old. The place where the event was held was special. It was on the site of a lesser-known internment camp. In her talk, Hikido mentioned how the camps felt like prisons.
Utah
In Utah, the first recorded Day of Remembrance was on February 19, 2005. It was held in Salt Lake City's Japantown. The Japanese Church of Christ hosted the event. The Japanese-American community organized it.
The event remembered how World War II affected Japantown and its community. Speakers included U.S. Representative Mike Honda. He said February 19 should be a day to teach people about the injustices of World War II. University of Utah Professor Haruko Moriyasu also spoke. A 30-minute film was shown. It was called Toyo Miyatake: Infinite Shades of Gray. This film was about Toyo Miyatake's secret photos taken at the Manzanar internment camp.
Idaho
Idaho has been celebrating the Day of Remembrance since the early 2000s. The governor's office often helps organize these events. In recent years, Idaho's events have included films. These films discuss the serious concerns about civil rights violations faced by people of Japanese descent. They also talk about the wider effects of actions that lead to such events.
In 2023, the state showed the film The Power of Words. In 2024, Idaho screened a film called Omoiyari. Artist Kishi Bashi created this film. Kishi Bashi shared his own experience of being affected by the history of Japanese incarceration. He also showed how others were impacted.
Art and Exhibits
Utah
On February 11, 2019, the University of Utah's American West Center sponsored an exhibit. It remembered the Japanese incarceration. It showed photographs taken by Dorothea Lange and Ansel Adams. These photos captured what it was like for those forced to move to the camps.
Juneau, Alaska
On February 14, 2014, the Juneau-Douglas City Museum displayed an exhibit. It was called "The Empty Chair: The Forced Removal and Relocation of Juneau's Japanese, 1941-1951." The Empty Chair is a bronze sculpture of a folding chair. Peter Reiquam created it. It helps visitors understand what the sculpture is remembering. The sculpture sits on fake floorboards. These boards look like the gymnasium floor where the Juneau High School class of 1958 graduated.
See also
- Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial
- Densho: The Japanese American Legacy Project
- Empty Chair Memorial
- Fred Korematsu Day
- Go for Broke Monument
- Harada House
- Japanese American Memorial to Patriotism During World War II
- National Japanese American Veterans Memorial Court
- Sakura Square
- Japanese American redress and court cases
- Japanese American service in World War II
