Join us on March 25, 2023, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. at the
Monterey Japanese American Citizens League Hall for a Teacher Training.
Shortly after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, 120,000 residents of California were forcibly removed from their homes without cause, due process or compensation. The reason for their incarceration was the single characteristic they all shared. They were all of Japanese heritage.
This training presented by the Japanese American Citizens League gives a historical overview of the World War II Internment of Japanese Americans and introduces the attendees to the little known story of their return to the Monterey Peninsula. The film Enduring Democracy: The Monterey Petition, which is included in the training, introduces the historical perspective, and tells the unique story of the courage and compassion demonstrated by Monterey residents as Japanese Americans sought to return to their hometown after being released from incarceration in the World War II Internment camps. This documentary shares how the Monterey Peninsula was unique among communities throughout California in that it publicly welcomed their Japanese American neighbors back. As such, it provides an inspiring and relevant teaching tool. The accompanying classroom curriculum helps students understand this history. How do events from the past inform the decisions we make today? Why is it important to think critically about the consequences of racial and other forms discrimination? It’s about making sure that history is passed on. It’s an American story that should be told.
