Module 2: Japanese Americans During World War II: The Lasting Impact of Imprisonment
Do Yuri Kochiyama’s life experiences explain her political consciousness, solidarity, and activism?
In this module, we explore Japanese Americans’ lives before and during the Second World War (WWII) through the lens of Yuri Kochiyama and her family history. In particular, the story of Japanese Americans during the 1940s is examined through two incarcerations: Yuri’s father’s removal and imprisonment in 1941 and the family’s forced displacement in 1942.
Yuri’s personal story impacted not only her racial and political consciousness but also encapsulates the lives and minds of the 120,000 Japanese Americans who experienced the harrowing ordeal of mass race-based incarceration.
What was Yuri Kochiyama’s life like before World War II and did it change during the war?
In what ways did wartime incarceration shape Yuri Kochiyama’s social consciousness?
Was it irony or fate that Yuri Kochiyama’s brother would enlist in the army during World War II?
