After President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 on February 19, 1942, giving the United States military authority to relocate civilians from coastal communities in the Western United States to inland internment camps, posters like this appeared in towns and cities. Japanese residents, even those who were U.S. citizens, were evacuated. The disruption was tremendous, and each year Japanese Americans recall that chaotic period by commemorating February 19 as a “Day of Remembrance.” Relatively new information has emerged about an internment facility for Japanese located on then-Fort Richardson, now JBER. Local events are planned in Anchorage on that date this year.
While this trauma played out among Japanese families up and down the west coast, it had additional significance in Alaska, where more than 800 Aleuts were forcibly relocated from their Aleutian Islands villages to Southeast Alaska locations. Also, villagers from Attu were detained by Japanese forces and relocated to prisoner-of-war camps in Japan. Suffering was immense.
Learn more about both aspects of these tumultuous World War II events on today’s program. Your questions and comments are always welcome.
HOST: Kathleen McCoy
GUESTS:
- Suzanne Ishii-Regan, Alaska Japanese American Citizens League
- Patrick Regan, Alaska Japanese American Citizens League
- Marie Matsuno Nash, internment survivor
- Dr. Morgan Blanchard, senior project archaeologist, Northern Land Use Research Alaska
LINKS:
- Loussac Library, Day of Remembrance event Feb. 19 6 p.m., and photo exhibit, Feb. 19-26
- Japanese American Citizens League, Day of Remembrance explained, (Bay Area chapter)
- Japanese American Day of Remembrance, Wikipedia
- Executive Order 9066 explained, History Matters website
- World War II Aleut Relocation Camps in Southeast Alaska, National Park Service
- The U.S. Forcibly detained Native Alaskans during World War II, Smithsonian website
- Aleut Story, historical film on You Tube, 1 hr 24 min, by Snagfilms
- Densho, historical site and research resource on the web
- Level II Cultural Resources Survey Fort Richardson Internment Camp (PDF-86 pages), prepared by Northern Land Use Research Alaska
LOCAL EVENTS:
- Feb. 15-16-17, 2019: “An American Dream,” Anchorage Opera, @ Sydney Laurence Theatre, PAC.
- Feb. 19-26, 2019: Out of the Holocaust: Sugihara’s Visas for Life, photo exhibit, Loussac Library. Opening Ceremony Feb 19, 6-9 pm Wilda Marson Theatre. Short documentary: Sugihara Survivors: Jewish and Japanese, Past and Present.
PARTICIPATE:
- Call 550-8433 (Anchorage) or 1-888-353-5752 (statewide) during the live broadcast (2:00 – 3:00pm)
- Send e-mail to hometown@alaskapublic.org before, during or after the live broadcast (e-mails may be read on air)
- Post your comment or question below (comments may be read on air)
- LIVE: Monday, February 11, 2019 at 2:00 p.m.
- REPEAT: Monday, February 11, 2019 at 8:00 p.m.
