Stuff contributed by Greg
Yoshie Fujiwara and Japanese Americans I: A Night at the Opera
Greg Robinson
Yoshie (AKA Yosie) Fujiwara, a legendary tenor and impresario whose career spanned decades, was the biggest name in grand opera in Japan over the 20th century. For much of that period, he served as director of the Fujiwara Opera Company. Through his activities as singer, director, and teacher, Fujiwara “almost …
The Morgenthau Diaries and FDR's Troubling Views of Minorities
Greg Robinson
In a recent column, I described the detective work that I did to clear up a seemingly contradictory passage in a book by John Franklin Carter about Franklin Roosevelt's attitudes toward Japanese Americans. On another occasion, I had to deal with an even trickier piece of evidence that revealed FDR’s opinions …
In Tribute to Roger Daniels: The Father of Us All
Greg Robinson
The distinguished historian Roger Daniels died on December 9, 2022. In the past days, I have taken a lot of time to reflect on how he influenced me, both professionally and personally.
Bradford Smith: An American to Japan (and Back) — Part 1
Greg Robinson
Outside defenders of Japanese Americans during World War II, especially those in positions of power, were rare. Issei and Nisei did, however, receive various forms of assistance from a circle of “old Japan hands,” white Americans who had lived in Japan before the war and had become familiar with Japanese …