Densho Blog
A young Japanese American man in military uniform giving a military salute.

Archives Spotlight: Remembering Nisei Veterans

During World War II, thousands of Japanese Americans served in the U.S. military. Nearly 80 years later, as the number of Nisei veterans with firsthand memories of this history dwindles, we are immensely grateful for the many veterans and their families who have contributed their personal collections and testimonies to be preserved in our digital archives. This Veterans’ Day, we offer a look at some of the photos, oral histories, and other artifacts in the Densho Digital Repository that help keep this story alive today.

Nighttime on an empty street in Chicago, with old brick buildings and street lamps glowing eerily.

Naomi Hirahara on the Secret Lives of Nisei in Post-WWII Chicago

Award-winning mystery novelist, public historian, and journalist Naomi Hirahara’s new novel, Clark and Division, follows the story of a young woman searching for the truth about her revered older sister’s death, and the struggles of one Japanese American family released from mass incarceration at Manzanar. Hirahara recently joined Brian Niiya, a longtime friend and Densho’s Content Director, to talk about the novel, her literary icons, the secret lives of Nisei in resettlement Chicago, and more.

Eight Asian American dancers rehearsing on stage at Densho's 25th anniversary gala.

Highlights from Densho’s 25th Anniversary Gala

This past Saturday, we celebrated Densho’s 25th anniversary at a very special event. Nearly 800 households tuned in for a live show featuring music, dance, art, and story. (Don’t worry, you can still watch it here if you missed it!) Densho Founding Executive Director Tom Ikeda shares some highlights from this virtual gala, and a note of gratitude for the tremendous community support that helped us make it to this major milestone.

Two Japanese Americans walking past barracks on dirt road in Amache concentration camp.

Brick Floors, a Polio Outbreak, and Other Unique Aspects of Amache Concentration Camp

Amache was one of ten War Relocation Authority camps where Japanese Americans were incarcerated following the forced removal from the West Coast in 1942. Located in southeastern Colorado, it held the smallest population of any WRA camp. But it was notable in other ways as well. To commemorate the anniversary of its closing on October 15, 1945—as well as recent efforts to gain National Park Service recognition of the site—here are some of the more unique elements of Amache concentration camp.

Ronald Ikejiri being interviewed by Tom Ikeda for Densho's oral history program. Ronald is sitting in a chair facing Tom and a digital camera.

Densho’s Oral History Program Is Back after a Pandemic Pause

Like many oral history projects, we’ve spent much of the last 18 months adapting and adjusting to meet the challenges of the pandemic. Knowing that elders and communities of color were acutely impacted by COVID-19 — both the virus itself and racialized violence against Asians and Asian Americans — we had to reconfigure our oral history program to safely conduct new interviews. But after a year-plus pandemic pause, we’re happy to share that our team is once again adding new stories to Densho’s digital archives.

Members of the Little Tokyo People's Right Organization, a grassroots group that fought against evictions in the 1970s-80s, at a protest.

Displacement and Resistance in Japantowns: A Resource List

Japantowns in the U.S. have been shaped by a long history of both exclusion and resilience — from the dispossession of Indigenous peoples to the forced removal of Japanese Americans during WWII to anti-eviction movements that rose up against “urban renewal” in the 1970s. At a moment when these neighborhoods are once again acutely threatened by gentrification and displacement, this history holds powerful lessons for those who wish to fight for the future of Japantown.

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