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Microsoft Alumni Foundation Gala
For the last two days I have been involved in a flurry of activities around the Microsoft Alumni Foundation’s Integral Fellows award. Although I did not win, I was honored…
Tom Ikeda Nominated for Microsoft Alumni Foundation Integral Fellows Award
Densho’s executive director, Tom Ikeda, is honored to be selected as a finalist for the first Microsoft Alumni Foundation Integral Fellows Award. Over 150 Microsoft alumni have started and run…
Profile in Courage: George Sakato and a Belated Medal of Honor
“I’m no hero, but I wear it for the guys that didn’t come back.” — George “Joe” Sakato George T. Sakato is the great-great-great-grandson of a samurai. Perhaps that explains…
Incarceration and Reservations: Japanese and Native Americans Intersect
“This country has had a history of forced evacuation and detention of non-white Americans.” –Bernie Whitebear, United Indians of All Tribes Foundation Politically oppressed people of color share storylines in…
Auction to Help Densho
For a non-profit, raising money is always challenging. One of the fun things we do is to have a silent auction at our annual Sushi & Sake Fest on Nov…
Restoring a Lapsed Asian American Initiative
Yesterday at a White House ceremony, President Barack Obama signed an executive order re-establishing an advisory commission “to improve the quality of life of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders through…
The Value of Freedom
We’ve been wondering what Roxana Saberi has been doing since her release from prison in Iran, where she was falsely charged with espionage. This Salt Lake City news article (photo…
Embargoed Interview: Ehren Watada
This month we announced the addition of what could be a controversial interview to the Densho Digital Archive. In our October eNews, you can preview a video clip of Densho’s…
Frank Sumida Interview in LA
A couple of weeks ago I was in LA and through an introduction from Barbara Takei of the Tule Lake Committee, did a fascinating interview with Frank Sumida. Frank shared…
Freshly Minted Videos – Watch on YouTube
For our latest teacher resource CD (available on request) we produced short videos to illustrate key points of Japanese American history. Teachers have been asking us for a summary video…
Frances Tashiro Kaji Interview in LA
Last week I was in Los Angeles and had the opportunity to do a video recorded interview with Frances Tashiro Kaji. Writer Martha Nakagawa helped arrange the meeting and assisted…
Side Trip to Fort Snelling
Returning from a short trip to Minneapolis last weekend, I spotted a sign for Fort Snelling on the way to the airport. The fort is perched above the picturesque confluence…
Help Preserve Minidoka and Heart Mountain
The Friends of Minidoka, Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation, and Conservation Fund ask supporters to urge their U.S. senators to vote for legislation that will fund the acquisition of lands for…
Words Do Matter: Join the Discussion
Anyone who writes about what happened to 120,000 Japanese Americans during WWII immediately enters a debate about terminology, whether they know it or not. “Internment” is the most common designation….
All About the Women
Densho is dedicating resources to record interviews with Nikkei women, whose stories are often less documented in oral history collections. This month Densho staff travels to L.A. to conduct new…
Happy Birthday, Monica Sone
Today is the 90th birthday of Monica Sone, author of Nisei Daughter. Written in 1953, hers was among the first books published about experiencing the forced removal and detention during…
Homecoming for Heroes: Veterans Gala in Houston
The National Japanese American Memorial Foundation asks Densho to spread the word about the “Homecoming for Heroes” gala on November 1. The event honors Nisei and Texan veterans whose lives…
Summer Days
On a warm August afternoon, in the time-honored tradition of the summer rerun, we thought we’d share some of our favorite “From the Archive” articles that are available on our…
Tragedy and Lessons: Listen Online
Twitter told us about an excellent lecture by law professor Eric Muller called “The Constitution in Wartime: The Tragedy and the Lessons of the Japanese American Internment of World War…
Justice Watch
Judges are in the news. On the same day, we read that U.S. Federal Judge Robert Takasugi has passed away and learn that President Obama–on the heels of Sonya Sotomayor’s…
Floating Lanterns and Folded Cranes
Today, August 6, the world remembers the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. On the north shore of Green Lake in Seattle, volunteers hold the commemorative ceremony “From Hiroshima to Hope,” a…
Call for Interviewees
Late Friday afternoon we received good news. Densho’s application to the national Japanese American Confinement Sites grant program was awarded in the amount of $112,500. The money will pay for…
Book Event: “Japanese American Resettlement through the Lens”
When Asian American studies scholars visit Seattle, we sometimes invite them to speak in public programs. This Saturday at the Densho building, we will host a author talk by Lane…
Los Angeles Interviews, Tom
Last week I had the joy and honor of interviewing three Nisei women who were talented, strong, and committed individuals. For three days we set up a temporary video studio…