Grayce Uyehara facts for kids

Grayce Uyehara (born Grayce Ritsu Kaneda on July 4, 1919 – died June 22, 2014) was an important Japanese-American social worker and activist. She led a major effort to get the United States government to apologize for putting Japanese-Americans in special camps during World War II.

Early Life and Challenges

Grayce Ritsu Kaneda was born in Stockton, California. She was the second of seven children in her family. Grayce was part of the nisei generation, which means she was a child of Japanese immigrants born in America.

While she was studying music at the University of the Pacific, a big change happened. After Executive Order 9066 was signed, Grayce and her family were forced to move to the Rohwer internment camp in Arkansas. This was a camp where Japanese-Americans were held during World War II.

Grayce was later allowed to leave the camp to go to college. She moved to Minnesota and studied at St. Cloud State Teachers College. After that, she moved to Philadelphia. There, she married Hiroshi Uyehara, who had also been held in an internment camp.

While living in West Chester, Pennsylvania, the Uyeharas helped start the Philadelphia chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL). This group works for the rights of Japanese-Americans. Grayce became one of the first women leaders in the JACL across the country.

Working for Justice

Grayce Uyehara worked as a social worker while also being an activist. After she retired, she volunteered as the national director of the Legislative Education Committee. This was the part of the JACL that worked to convince lawmakers to pass new laws.

Their hard work led to a very important law called the Civil Liberties Act of 1988. President Ronald Reagan signed this law. It gave a formal apology from the government for the internment of Japanese-Americans. It also provided money to help those who had been held in the camps.

After this success, Grayce led the JACL Legacy Fund campaign. This effort raised over $5 million to support other JACL programs. In 2014, she received the Standing Up For Justice Award from a group called Asian Americans United.

Later Years

Grayce Uyehara passed away on June 22, 2014, after a short illness. She was at Virtua Memorial Hospital in Mount Holly, New Jersey. Other Japanese-Americans remembered her as a very focused and effective activist. Many said she was "the heart and soul" of the movement to get justice for Japanese-Americans.