Nikkei in the Pacific Northwest: "We carry strength, dignity and soul"

REVISED

Fall 2013 quarter

Faculty

Chico Herbison African American studies, American studies , Frances V. Rains Native American studies, history, women's studies

Fields of Study

American studies, cultural studies, history and literature

Preparatory for studies or careers in

American studies, Asian American studies, U.S. history, U.S. literature, cultural studies, and education.

Description

“‘Only what we could carry’ was the rule, so we carried Strength, Dignity and Soul.” —Lawson Fusao Inada, Japanese American poet

For Nikkei (Japanese emigrants and their descendants, including “war brides” and a “mixed-race” population) in the United States, World War II was a historical, cultural, social, and political watershed. Permanent settlements of immigrant Japanese were first established on the U.S. mainland in the latter half of the 19 ^th century and, in spite of anti-Japanese sentiment and legislative efforts, those communities grew and flourished. However, they would be forever transformed with the outbreak of war and the subsequent removal, detention, and incarceration of 110,000 Nikkei in ten “War Relocation Camps” spread across the country, from California to Arkansas. Forcibly uprooted and imprisoned, families left behind tangible assets (homes, businesses, bank accounts), but perhaps more devastating were the ensuing collapse of communities and the loss of a way of life. They were allowed to take with them, into the unknown, “only what they could carry.”   

Students in this program will explore the rich history and culture of Nikkei, from their first arrival in this country, through the traumatic events of the World War II period, and beyond. Although we will examine the overall experience of Nikkei in the U.S., our particular focus will be on those in the Pacific Northwest. Accompanying us on our interdisciplinary journey will be historical studies, oral testimony, fiction and poetry, photographs and film, and music, among other texts and tools. We will immerse ourselves in topics such as the earliest Japanese immigration; the 19 ^th - and 20 ^th -century struggles against discrimination and exclusion; the World War II watershed years (including an examination of the often-overlooked resistance movement in the camps, and the legendary exploits of Nikkei soldiers in both theaters of the war); the post-war efforts by Nikkei to reassemble their lives and, for some, to seek redress and reparations; the saga of Japanese “war brides” (women who married U.S. servicemen in Occupied Japan and eventually migrated stateside); and the world of “mixed-race” Nikkei. It is only through such an immersion that we will begin to understand the ways in which this population carried, and continues to carry, “strength, dignity and soul.”

Each student will read a series of seminar books and articles related to program topics and themes, participate in weekly seminars and write weekly seminar papers, participate in workshops, and screen and critically analyze films. In addition, there will be field trips to Pacific Northwest locations with Nikkei historical and cultural connections. Finally, students will complete substantial, individual research projects and make summative presentations of their work.

Campus Location

Olympia

Online Learning

Enhanced Online Learning

Books

Greener Store

Required Fees

$150 for museum admission and overnight field trips

Offered During

Day

Program Revisions