Ring in the new year by joining the Book Club at JAMsj on Saturday, January 4, 2014 when The House on Lemon Street by Mark Rawitsch will be discussed. The book begins in 1915 when Jukichi and Ken Harada purchased a house on Lemon Street in Riverside, California. Close to their restaurant, church, and children's school, the house should have been a safe and healthy family home. Before the purchase, White neighbors objected because of the Haradas' Japanese ancestry, and the California Alien Land Law denied them real estate ownership because they were not citizens. To bypass the law, Mr. Harada bought the house in the names of his three youngest children, who were American-born citizens. Neighbors protested again, resulting in the first Japanese American court test of the California Alien Land Law of 1913 -- The People of California v. Jukichi Harada.

Bringing this little-known story to light, The House on Lemon Street details the Haradas' decision to fight for the American dream. Chronicling their experiences from their immigration to the United States through their legal battle over their home, their incarceration during World War II, and their lives after the war, this book tells the story of the family's participation in the struggle for human and civil rights, social justice, property and legal rights, and fair treatment of immigrants in the United States.

The Harada family's quest for acceptance illuminates the deep underpinnings of anti-Asian animus, which set the stage for Executive Order 9066, and recognizes fundamental elements of our nation's anti-immigrant history that continue to shape the American story. It will be worthwhile for anyone interested in the Japanese American experience in the twentieth century, immigration history, public history, and law.

The Book Club meets the first Saturday of every other month, 1:00 pm at JAMsj. Selections align with JAMsj's focus on Japanese American art, history, and culture and are selected collaboratively at the end of each meeting. Meetings are open to the general public and books are available for purchase at the Museum Store. Questions? Contact Book Club facilitator, Aggie Idemoto: aggie@jamsj.org or (408) 294-3138