Discover Nikkei

https://www.discovernikkei.org/en/interviews/clips/392/

Making the decision to resist the draft

These were rumors that you must volunteer to prove that you're a good 100 percent American, that you're a loyal American. Volunteer to the U.S. army. Well... no way, from my feeling. It was, it was just totally wrong. Let us, take us back to Seattle, get our parents and get our hotel back, get us back into what we were. We were American. How come Tony, they were Italian, how come they weren't evacuated? How come the German friends I had, they weren't evacuated? And they had far more active political organization in America than the Japanese had. The Japanese, I don't recall ever sounding, being subversive-minded. And I think, later on, it proved there was absolutely no subversive act.


discrimination draft resisters interpersonal relations racism resisters World War II

Date: August 18, 1997

Location: Washington, US

Interviewer: Lori Hoshino, Stephen Fugita

Contributed by: Denshō: The Japanese American Legacy Project.

Interviewee Bio

Nisei male. Born 1923 in Seattle, Washington. Spent prewar childhood in South Park and Belltown areas of Seattle. Incarcerated at Puyallup Assembly Center, Washington, and Minidoka incarceration camp, Idaho. Refused to participate in draft, imprisoned at McNeil Island Penitentiary, Washington, for resisting the draft. Resettled in Seattle.

*The full interview is available Denshō: The Japanese American Legacy Project.

Dale Minami
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Minami,Dale

Role of the redress movement in helping Nisei to open up about their wartime experiences

(b. 1946) Lawyer

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Dale Minami
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Minami,Dale

Reflections on the importance of history

(b. 1946) Lawyer

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Mako Nakagawa
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Nakagawa,Mako

Not recognizing father after reunion at Crystal City, Texas

(1937 - 2021) Teacher

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Mako Nakagawa
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Nakagawa,Mako

A child's memories of activities at Crystal City, Texas

(1937 - 2021) Teacher

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George Yamada
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Yamada,George

Japanese American railroad workers are fired following the bombing of Pearl Harbor

(b. 1923) Chick sexer

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Peter Irons
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Irons,Peter

Lesson to be Learned

(b. 1940) Attorney, Coram nobis cases.

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George Yamada
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Yamada,George

A racist encounter at a movie theater following the bombing of Pearl Harbor

(b. 1923) Chick sexer

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George Yamada
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Yamada,George

Losing job with railroad because of being Japanese American

(b. 1923) Chick sexer

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Chiye Tomihiro
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Tomihiro,Chiye

Too Ashamed to Tell

Chaired the Chicago JACL's Redress Committee.

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George Yoshida
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Yoshida,George

We’re Still Japanese

(b. 1922) Musician

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William Marutani
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Marutani,William

Recalling Pinedale and Tule Lake concentration camps

Judge, only Japanese American to serve on CWRIC.

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Kathryn Doi Todd
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Todd,Kathryn Doi

On the Impact of the Camp Experience

(b. 1942) The first Asian American woman judge

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William Marutani
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Marutani,William

Impressions of student relocation in South Dakota

Judge, only Japanese American to serve on CWRIC.

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William Marutani
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Marutani,William

A memorable CWRIC testimony of an unjust situation

Judge, only Japanese American to serve on CWRIC.

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Clifford Uyeda
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Uyeda,Clifford

Treatment by Chinese students

(1917 - 2004) Political activist

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