Empty Chair Memorial facts for kids
The Empty Chair Memorial is a special monument in downtown Juneau, Alaska, United States. It remembers 53 people of Japanese background from Juneau. During World War II, these families were forced to leave their homes and live in special camps far away. The memorial also thanks the people of Juneau who helped these families when they came back after the war. This was the first memorial in Alaska about Japanese Americans being held in these camps during the war.
The memorial's name, "Empty Chair," comes from a student named John Tanaka. He was the top student (called a valedictorian) at Juneau-Douglas High School. John was forced to move away a month before his graduation in May 1942. His classmates left an empty chair at their graduation ceremony to show they remembered him. This also honored other local Japanese families who were forced to leave.
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Why the Memorial Was Built
Japanese People Come to Alaska
Just like other parts of the West Coast, Japanese immigrants started coming to Alaska in the late 1800s and early 1900s. They came for jobs in fishing, mining, logging, and farming. At that time, Alaska was first a district (from 1884) and then a territory (from 1912). Some Japanese families moved to Juneau and opened businesses there.
Life in Juneau Before the War
By 1941, there were only about 200 Japanese people living in all of Alaska, which was a small number compared to other West Coast states. In Juneau, Japanese residents were generally treated well by their white neighbors. Their children were popular in school, and most Japanese families were a well-liked part of the community.
Forced Relocation During World War II
After the Empire of Japan attacked Pearl Harbor and the U.S. entered World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066. This order, signed on February 19, 1942, gave military leaders the power to remove certain people from specific areas. This led to the forced relocation of Japanese Americans.
Alaska's Unique Situation
States like California, Oregon, and Washington were made into "military exclusion zones." This meant all Japanese residents there were forced to move to camps inland. Alaska was not on this list because it had a small Japanese population. However, the Western Defense Command still ordered all Japanese residents in Alaska to leave. This sealed the fate of all ethnic Japanese living on the West Coast.
John Tanaka's Story
One important person from Juneau was John Tanaka. He was the top student at Juneau-Douglas High School and later inspired the Empty Chair Memorial. His father, Shonosuke Tanaka, owned the popular City Cafe in Juneau for many years. Shonosuke was one of 15 Japanese citizens arrested by the FBI right after the Pearl Harbor attack. They were held with two German citizens at Fort Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska for several months.
In April 1942, all Japanese people in Alaska were told to leave for camps inland. A special graduation ceremony was held for John on April 15 at the school gym, where he received his diploma. During the official graduation in May 1942, John's classmates placed an empty wooden folding chair to show he was not forgotten.
Life in the Camps
By the end of April, 53 people of Japanese background had left their homes and businesses in Juneau. They were sent to camps inland. John, his brother William, his mother Nobu, and his two sisters Alice and Mary, traveled on a United States Army ship to Seattle. They were first processed at Puyallup Assembly Center. Then, they were sent to Minidoka War Relocation Center in Idaho, where they stayed for the rest of the war.
John's father, Shonosuke, was sent to a United States Department of Justice prison in Lordsburg, New Mexico for a few years. He rejoined his family in 1944. While at Minidoka, John joined the U.S. Army. He served with the 442nd Infantry Regiment in Europe. This was a famous unit made up mostly of Japanese American soldiers.
Returning Home
After the war, most Japanese families from Juneau returned home. The Tanaka family also came back. The people of Juneau welcomed them. They found that their neighbors had looked after their homes and businesses while they were away. Unlike Japanese families in other parts of the country, those in Juneau were able to go back to their lives without many problems. This showed how kind the people of Juneau were in the mid-1900s.
After leaving the military in 1946, John went to the University of Washington. He then studied medicine at the St. Louis University School of Medicine. He became a doctor who gives anesthesia during operations. John passed away in 1978. He was survived by his wife, Jeanne Tanaka, and their five children.
The Memorial's Design and Dedication
Creating the Memorial
In July 2012, an artist from Seattle named Peter Reiquam shared his idea for the Empty Chair Memorial. The Empty Chair Project Steering Committee liked his plan. His design was inspired by the simple wooden folding chair that John Tanaka's classmates left for him. The project took two years to complete. Money was raised through donations and grants from groups like the National Park Service's Japanese American Confinement Sites program.
Dedication Ceremony
The Empty Chair Memorial was officially opened on July 12, 2014, at Capital School Park in Juneau. About 200 people attended the ceremony. More than 1,000 origami cranes (paper cranes, a symbol of hope and healing) were made for the event.
The memorial is a bronze copy of a simple folding chair. It sits quietly in the park with a piece of jagged wooden floor. Artist Peter Reiquam explained his design:
The uneven edge of the floor was meant to look like a piece of the gymnasium floor that had been torn out. This was a way to show how the people were torn from their homes and their community.
The names of the 53 people who were forced to leave Juneau for the camps are carved into the wooden floor planks. These camps were like military camps, surrounded by barbed wire and guard towers. Mary Tanaka Abo, one of John Tanaka's sisters, attended the dedication with her family. Alice Tanaka Hikido, another sister, and Jeanne Tanaka, John's wife, were also there.
