Discover the History ofWWII Incarceration

120,000 Japanese Americans were unjustly incarcerated during World War II. Learn about this unprecedented denial of civil liberties and why it still matters today.

Explore Personal Stories

Learn about Japanese American history and the legacy of WWII incarceration by exploring personal stories from those who lived through it.

Promote Equity Today

History doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes. Join us in putting the lessons of Japanese American WWII incarceration into action today.

Tide Goes Out: A Graphic Novel by Densho 2021 Artist-in-Residence Molly Murakami

Part-biography, part-fiction, Tide Goes Out recounts one family’s journey from their early years on the shores of Terminal Island, through their removal and detention in Manzanar, and their eventual return to the place they once called home.

Read More
Women walking on Terminal Island. Image by Molly Murakami

Densho Catalyst: History, Essays, & Opinion

Dive into hidden histories and learn why these stories matter today with the latest essays and opinions from Densho and other community voices.

Graphic with the cover of When the Emperor Was Divine over a background photo of Japanese American children in a concentration camp classroom.

Hey Muskego-Norway School Board, Your White Fragility is Showing

Julie Otsuka’s novel, When the Emperor Was Divine, has received numerous distinctions: an Alex Award from the American Library Association; a Literature Award from the Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association, and...
Illustration showing a large Japanese American family on the shores of Terminal Island.

A Peek at Densho’s First Graphic Novel by Molly Murakami

We’re excited to share a new graphic novel by 2021 Densho artist-in-residence Molly Murakami! Tide Goes Out takes an intimate look at the lesser-known history of Terminal Island, a Japanese...
The interior of preserved barracks at present day Heart Mountain

“Show Me The Way To Go to Home”: Photo Essay by Sandy Sugawara

Three years ago, Sansei journalist and photographer Sandy Sugawara set out to visit each of the War Relocation Authority camps where Japanese Americans, including her parents and grandparents, were incarcerated...

Campu: A Podcast

Campu weaves together the voices of survivors to spin narratives out of the seemingly mundane things that gave shape to the incarceration experience: rocks, fences, food, paper. Follow along as hosts Hana and Noah Maruyama move far beyond the standard Japanese American incarceration 101 and into more intimate and lesser-known corners of this history.

Listen Today

Encyclopedia

Thousands of articles about the history of the Japanese American WWII exclusion and incarceration experience. Here are a few to get you started:

Toshiko Takaezu

Toshiko Takaezu (1922-2011) was one of America's foremost ceramic artists, credited with being one of the key figures in the mid-century transformation of ceramics from craft to fine art.

Marysville (detention facility)

The Marysville Assembly Center—also known as "Arboga"—was built on a migrant worker camp about five miles southeast of Marysville, California.

Nisei Progressives

Political organization that evolved out of Nisei for Wallace, a national organization formed in 1947 to support Henry Wallace as a third party presidential candidate for the Progressive Party.