Day of Remembrance (Japanese Americans)
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| Name | Day of Remembrance (Japanese Americans) |
| Caption | Manzanar National Historic Site marker commemorating incarceration |
| Date | February 19 (anniversary of Executive Order 9066) |
| Observedby | United States, Japanese American Citizens League, National Park Service, Densho, Japanese American National Museum |
| Type | Commemoration |
| Significance | Remembers incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II |
Day of Remembrance (Japanese Americans) The Day of Remembrance (Japanese Americans) is an annual observance that commemorates the forced removal and incarceration of people of Japanese ancestry in the United States after Pearl Harbor and during World War II. It marks the signing of Executive Order 9066 and promotes public awareness through ceremonies, exhibits, and educational programs involving organizations such as the Japanese American Citizens League, Densho, and the Japanese American National Museum.
History
The history of the Day of Remembrance is rooted in events including the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the issuance of Executive Order 9066, the establishment of camps such as Manzanar War Relocation Center, Tule Lake Segregation Center, Topaz War Relocation Center, Gila River War Relocation Center, and Heart Mountain Relocation Center, and legal cases like Korematsu v. United States, Hirabayashi v. United States, and Ex parte Endo. Civil rights developments such as the work of the Conscience and Civil Liberties Committee, the activism of leaders like Fred Korematsu, Minoru Yasui, and Chester M. Nakayama contributed to later reparations efforts exemplified by the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 and the federal apology by President Ronald Reagan.
Origins and Establishment
Origins trace to grassroots organizing by survivors and community groups including the Japanese American Citizens League, the National Council for Japanese American Redress, and the Japanese American Museum of San Jose. Early commemorations involved survivors from camps such as Manzanar War Relocation Center and Tule Lake Segregation Center alongside academics from institutions like Stanford University, University of California, Berkeley, Columbia University, and cultural figures from the Little Tokyo Historical Society. The institutionalization of observance was influenced by archival projects at Densho, the establishment of the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles, and recognition by bodies such as the National Park Service and state legislatures in California, Hawaii, and Washington (state).
Commemoration Activities
Commemoration activities on the Day of Remembrance include public ceremonies at sites like Manzanar National Historic Site, Minidoka National Historic Site, Tule Lake Unit, and memorials in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, Seattle Chinatown–International District, and Skid Row (Los Angeles). Programs feature speeches by survivors like Toyo Miyatake's family, readings of letters from camps, presentations referencing legal decisions such as Korematsu v. United States and Ex parte Endo, and participation from organizations including the Japanese American Citizens League, National Coalition for Redress, Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, and faith communities like Nichiren Buddhism groups and Issei descendant associations.
Educational and Cultural Programs
Educational and cultural programs include curricula developed with universities such as University of Washington, UCLA, UC Berkeley, and Harvard University; exhibitions curated by the Japanese American National Museum and Densho; oral history projects like the Densho Digital Repository; and traveling exhibits coordinated with the Smithsonian Institution and state humanities councils. Cultural programming draws on artists and writers associated with Joy Kogawa, Lawrence Deutsch, Patty A. Lee, Mako Iwamatsu, Sumi Choi, and filmmakers linked to works about incarceration such as Shohei Imamura-adjacent documentaries and productions by community theatre groups in Little Tokyo.
Notable Observances and Locations
Notable observances occur at historic incarceration sites: Manzanar National Historic Site, Heart Mountain Relocation Center, Topaz War Relocation Center, Gila River War Relocation Center, Jerome War Relocation Center, and Amache (Granada Relocation Center). Urban commemorations are held in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, Honolulu, Seattle, San Francisco, San Jose, and Chicago, often coordinated with the Japanese American Citizens League, Japanese American Museum of San Jose, and the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii. Annual events sometimes coincide with programs by the National Park Service, the Smithsonian Institution, and state archives like the California State Archives.
Impact and Legacy
The Day of Remembrance has influenced public policy debates tied to civil liberties cases such as Korematsu v. United States, scholarly research at institutions like Stanford University and UCLA, and artistic responses by authors and filmmakers linked to Maxine Hong Kingston, John Okada, Amy Tan, Chay Yew, and documentarians who have worked with Densho. It has reinforced redress accomplishments of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 and continues to inform discussions about national security, reparations, and constitutional law in contexts examined by legal scholars at Columbia Law School, Yale Law School, and Harvard Law School. The observance remains central to community memory within organizations including the Japanese American Citizens League, Japanese American National Museum, Densho, and local historical societies, shaping how sites like Manzanar National Historic Site and Minidoka National Historic Site are interpreted for future generations.
Category:Japanese American history Category:Commemoration