On December 7, 1941, a 16-year-old girl named Aki Kurose was just like any other American teenager. But that day, Japanese planes attacked Pearl Harbor, and everything changed. Aki, along with over 120,000 Japanese Americans, soon found themselves alienated from their own country. By that time, Japanese American communities had been part of the U.S. for over 50 years. Many were immigrants who had settled on the West Coast, while others, like Aki, were born American citizens.
Aki, whose full name was Akiko Kato, grew up in Seattle. She always saw herself as American until the day after the Pearl Harbor attack when a teacher accused her, saying, “You people bombed Pearl Harbor.” This was just the beginning of the racism and paranoia that labeled Japanese Americans as potential traitors. The FBI started searching homes, taking belongings, and detaining community leaders without any trials. Although Aki’s family wasn’t immediately affected, things took a turn on February 19, 1942, when President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066. This order allowed the removal of anyone with Japanese heritage from certain ‘military areas.’
Initially, Japanese Americans were encouraged to move away from these restricted areas. However, with their bank accounts frozen and local restrictions like curfews imposed, many couldn’t leave. Aki’s family was among those trapped. By March, a new rule prevented Japanese Americans from changing their residency, effectively confining them to military zones. In May, Aki and her family, along with over 7,000 other Japanese Americans from Seattle, were moved to “Camp Harmony” in Puyallup, Washington. This was one of several temporary detention centers set up at places like fairgrounds and racetracks, where families lived in cramped and poorly converted spaces.
Over the following months, the army relocated Japanese Americans to long-term camps in remote areas of the West and South. Aki and her family ended up in Minidoka, southern Idaho. These camps were guarded by armed soldiers and were often still under construction when people arrived. The conditions were overcrowded and unsanitary, leading to frequent illnesses and inadequate medical care. The War Relocation Authority depended on the incarcerees to keep the camps running. Many worked in camp facilities, taught in makeshift classrooms, or farmed. Some Japanese Americans protested through labor strikes and riots, but many, like Aki’s parents, tried to make the best of their situation.
Aki, like many young people in the camps, was determined to leave. She completed her high school education at Minidoka and, with help from an anti-racist Quaker group, enrolled at Friends University in Kansas. For Aki’s family, change came slowly. In late 1944, a Supreme Court case declared that detaining American citizens without charges was unconstitutional. By the fall of 1945, World War II ended, and the camps were closed. Those who remained were given just $25 and a train ticket back to their pre-war homes, but many found they had no home or job to return to. Aki’s family was fortunate to keep their apartment, and she returned to Seattle after college. However, post-war prejudice made finding work difficult, as incarcerees faced discrimination from those who had taken their jobs and homes.
Despite these challenges, 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, over the years, her dedication to multicultural and socially conscious education touched the lives of thousands of students. However, many former incarcerees, especially older generations, struggled to rebuild their lives. The children of incarcerees began a movement demanding that the U.S. acknowledge this historical injustice. In 1988, the U.S. government officially apologized for the wartime incarceration, admitting it was a result of racism, hysteria, and poor political leadership. Three years after this apology, Aki Kurose received the Human Rights Award from the Seattle Chapter of the United Nations, honoring her commitment to peace and respect for all people.
Research the historical context and impact of Executive Order 9066. Create a presentation that explains its significance and how it affected Japanese American communities. Present your findings to the class, highlighting key events and personal stories like Aki Kurose’s.
Imagine you are a Japanese American teenager living during World War II. Write a series of diary entries that describe your experiences before, during, and after being sent to an incarceration camp. Focus on your emotions, daily life, and hopes for the future.
Participate in a class debate on whether the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II was justified. Research both sides of the argument and prepare to defend your position with historical evidence and ethical considerations.
Create an art project that visually represents life in the Japanese American incarceration camps. Use drawings, paintings, or digital media to depict scenes from the camps, focusing on the living conditions and the resilience of the people interned there.
Conduct interviews with family members or community elders who may have memories or stories about World War II and the Japanese American incarceration. Compile these stories into a written or audio project that captures the personal impact of this historical event.
On December 7, 1941, 16-year-old Aki Kurose shared in the horror experienced by millions of Americans when Japanese planes attacked Pearl Harbor. What she did not know was how that shared experience would soon leave her family and over 120,000 Japanese Americans alienated from their country, both socially and physically. By 1941, Japanese American communities had been growing in the U.S. for over 50 years. About one-third of them were immigrants, many of whom settled on the West Coast and had lived there for decades. The rest were born as American citizens, like Aki.
Born Akiko Kato in Seattle, Aki grew up in a diverse neighborhood where she never thought of herself as anything but American—until the day after the attack, when a teacher told her, “You people bombed Pearl Harbor.” Amid racism, paranoia, and fears of sabotage, people labeled Japanese Americans as potential traitors. FBI agents began to search homes, confiscate belongings, and detain community leaders without trial. Aki’s family was not immediately subjected to these extreme measures, but on February 19, 1942, President Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066. The order authorized the removal of any suspected enemies—including anyone of even partial Japanese heritage—from designated ‘military areas.’
At first, Japanese Americans were pushed to leave restricted areas and migrate inland. However, as the government froze their bank accounts and imposed local restrictions such as curfews, many were unable to leave—Aki’s family among them. In March, a proclamation forbade Japanese Americans from changing their residency, trapping them in military zones. In May, the army moved Aki and her family, along with over 7,000 Japanese Americans living in Seattle, to “Camp Harmony” in Puyallup, Washington. This was one of several makeshift detention centers at former fairgrounds and racetracks, where entire families were packed into poorly converted stables and barracks.
Over the ensuing months, the army moved Japanese Americans into long-term camps in desolate areas of the West and South, relocating Aki and her family to Minidoka in southern Idaho. Guarded by armed soldiers, many of these camps were still being constructed when incarcerees moved in. These hastily built facilities were overcrowded and unsanitary. People frequently fell ill and were unable to receive proper medical care. The War Relocation Authority relied on incarcerees to keep the camps running. Many worked in camp facilities or taught in poorly equipped classrooms, while others raised crops and animals. Some Japanese Americans rebelled, organizing labor strikes and even rioting. But many more, like Aki’s parents, endured. They constantly sought to recreate some semblance of life outside the camps, but the reality of their situation was unavoidable.
Like many younger incarcerees, Aki was determined to leave her camp. She finished her final year of high school at Minidoka, and with the aid of an anti-racist Quaker organization, she was able to enroll at Friends University in Kansas. For Aki’s family, however, things wouldn’t begin to change until late 1944. A landmark Supreme Court case ruled that continued detention of American citizens without charges was unconstitutional. In the fall of 1945, the war ended and the camps closed down. Remaining incarcerees were given a mere $25 and a train ticket to their pre-war address, but many no longer had a home or job to return to. Aki’s family had been able to keep their apartment, and Aki eventually returned to Seattle after college. However, post-war prejudice made finding work difficult. Incarcerees faced discrimination and resentment from workers and tenants who replaced them.
Fortunately, Japanese Americans weren’t alone in the 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 over the next several decades, her advocacy for multicultural, socially conscious education would impact thousands of students. However, many ex-incarcerees, particularly members of older generations, were unable to rebuild their lives after the war. Children of incarcerees began 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—admitting it was the catastrophic result of racism, hysteria, and failed political leadership. Three years after this apology, Aki Kurose was awarded the Human Rights Award from the Seattle Chapter of the United Nations, celebrating her vision of peace and respect for people of all backgrounds.
Japanese – Relating to Japan, its people, or their language – During World War II, many Japanese Americans faced unjust treatment due to their heritage.
Americans – Citizens or inhabitants of the United States – The Americans played a significant role in the Allied victory during World War II.
Incarceration – The state of being confined in prison; imprisonment – The incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II is a dark chapter in U.S. history.
Racism – Prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one’s own race is superior – Racism was a driving force behind the internment of Japanese Americans during the war.
Camps – Places where people are detained or confined, often under harsh conditions – Japanese internment camps were established in remote areas of the United States during World War II.
History – The study of past events, particularly in human affairs – Understanding history helps us learn from past mistakes and shape a better future.
Discrimination – The unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people, especially on the grounds of race, age, or sex – Discrimination against minority groups has been a persistent issue throughout history.
Education – The process of receiving or giving systematic instruction, especially at a school or university – Education plays a crucial role in promoting understanding and tolerance among diverse communities.
War – A state of armed conflict between different countries or different groups within a country – The impact of war on civilian populations can be devastating and long-lasting.
Leadership – The action of leading a group of people or an organization – Effective leadership was essential in navigating the challenges faced during the civil rights movement.
