Commemorating 25 Years of the Civil Liberties Act

Allyson Nakamoto Leave a comment

Gift of Norman Y. Mineta, Japanese American National Museum (96.370.16A)Gift of Norman Y. Mineta, Japanese American National Museum (96.370.16A)

There is a lot happening at JANM today, but we first wanted to take some time to remember that August 10, 1988 is the day that President Reagan signed the Civil Liberties Act. This Act offered an apology and granted redress and reparations to the over 110,000 people of Japanese descent who were incarcerated during World War II.

The signing of the Civil Liberties Act was the result of a lot of hard work from many, many individuals and groups around the nation. The government’s formal acknowledgement of the unjust incarceration remains a major milestone in the history of not just the Japanese American community, but within the history of the United States.

To reflect upon this event, last month JANM hosted a national conference in Seattle themed, Speaking Up! Democracy, Justice, Dignity. A modified version of one of the panel sessions that took place in Seattle will also be happening today in Little Tokyo! If you have a chance, please drop by the DISKovery Center this afternoon to see selected video clips related to the Civil Liberties Act, including the powerful testimonials from the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Interment of Civilians (CWRIC) hearings that took place in Los Angeles. These free screenings are being put together by Nikkei for Civil Rights and Redress and a full schedule is available here.

Hope that you’re able to take a moment today to reflect on the Civil Liberties Act and the impact that it (and World War II) had on the lives of so many. And thank you to all of those who—in ways big and small—worked to ensure that the United States is taking steps to becoming “a more perfect union.”

 

P.S. We are slowly making our way through the many photos from the conference and will be sharing more online soon!

Congratulations! “Best Museum Café” – Chado Tea Room

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When is the last time that you stopped by for lunch or a little afternoon pick-me-up in the Chado Tea Room? Dubbed “Best Museum Café” by Los Angeles Magazine (August 2013), Chado is a hidden gem here at JANM. Los Angeles Magazine recommends the smoked-tea egg salad and the warm scones, but you can’t go wrong with the Waldorf or St. Pierre salads. At just $8 – $11 for a salad, you can’t find a better place for a bit of elegance and civility in the middle of your day.

Perhaps you haven’t been here since your friend’s shower or birthday party? If it was outside on the garden patio and your group shared freshly brewed tea (there’s 300 varieties from which to choose), cakes, and tea sandwiches, then it was sure to have been an afternoon to remember.

Come drop by Tuesday – Sunday, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. for that light lunch or perfect cup of tea. Couple it with a long or quick visit to JANM and nourish both your body and soul. If you’re a current member, make sure to show your JANM membership card for a 10% discount!

If you are looking to make a day of it and immerse yourself in tea culture, be sure to attend the upcoming Los Angeles International Tea Festival (September 28-29, 2013) held here at JANM and organized by Chado. Exhibitors will offer tastings, talks, shows, and ceremonies. Tickets are on sale ($15) at teafestivalla.com, with proceeds benefiting JANM and its mission.

Come savor the best of LA – at the “Best Museum Café” and at the Japanese American National Museum.

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Inside the Terasaki Garden Café at the Japanese American National Museum
100 N. Central Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Hours: 11:00am – 6:00 pm, Tuesday – Sunday
For Catering, Afternoon Tea or Party Reservations,
Please Call: (213) 258-2531
www.chadotea.com

Japanese American National Museum
100 N. Central Avenue, Los Angeles, CA, 90012
Hours: 11:00 am – 5:00 pm, Tuesday – Sunday
Phone: (213) 625-0414
www.janm.org

Girl Scouts Return to JANM

Emily Leventhal Leave a comment
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JANM School Programs Developer Lynn Yamasaki explains more about the treatment of Hapa children born in Japan after WWII.

 

We loved having local Girl Scouts come out again for our second annual Girl Scout Patch Program! This year’s program was all about identity, both on the individual and community level. We began the day with a tour of our exhibition Visible & Invisible: A Hapa Japanese American History (closing August 25th!). Lead by our School Programs Developer Lynn Yamasaki, the tour touched on the history of—and challenges faced by—mixed-race and mixed-roots Japanese Americans.

The tour was followed by a great discussion of some of the exhibition themes, like what it means to be Japanese in a rapidly evolving community. In the end, being Japanese  is about more than pure race, the scouts decided. Instead, Japanese American identity today  encompasses widespread cultural elements such as the ability to use chopsticks, a taste for sashimi (admittedly up for debate), and involvement in the community. On a more personal level, the girls discussed the many factors—from geography to heritage—that make up their backgrounds and shape their attitudes and behavior.

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Lynn leads a roundtable discussion with the scouts on what it means to be Japanese American today.

 

After the discussion, we moved on to expressing our identities in a more hands-on way—with the help of some paper doll templates and a vast array of supplies from the education closet! Each girl made a reflection of herself (and one mom joined in with a lovely family portrait), carefully selecting the portrait’s attributes and making each unique, from style of dress to life mottos.

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The scouts present their identity self-portraits…in paper doll form!

 

Photos by Richard Murakami

I Want the Wide American Earth Opening Party

Emily Leventhal Leave a comment
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Japanese American laborers at Tule Lake War Relocation Center, Tule Lake, California.
Photo credit: Library of Congress

Opening Party
Friday, September 13
6:30PM-10PM
FREE!

Whether you rep the 626, can’t get enough of boba, or just really love Asian Pacific American history, come out to the opening party for I Want the Wide American Earth: An Asian Pacific American Story!

The opening party will have loads of great entertainment and treats. YouTube comedy and music stars The Fung Brothers and DANakaDAN will be performing live, along with music from DJ Tony. We will also be debuting a new two-person show, Our American Voice. The show, presented in partnership with East West Players, explores diverse stories of Asian Pacific Americans. And if you get peckish between performances, head on over to the Mighty Boba Truck for a delicious drink!

Through a Smithsonian traveling display of 30 banners of poignant text, photographs, and art, I Want the Wide American Earth takes a sweeping look at how Asian Pacific Americans have shaped and been shaped by the course of our nation’s history.

Check out the exhibition page for more info.

 

(Video from: The Fung Brothers)

Thanks to the Smithsonian and exhibition sponsor W.K. Kellogg Foundation; public programs sponsors: MetLife Foundation, Department of Cultural Affairs, City of Los Angeles, and Los Angeles County Arts Commission; and media sponsors: Angry Asian Man, KSCI-TV LA-18, and The Rafu Shimpo.

Natsumatsuri: Yukata

Emily Leventhal Leave a comment
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Photo: Chris Gladis

What better way to get into the spirit of summer festivals than with some new duds? Try on a yukata with the help of Suehiro Kimono Agency and get your photo taken at our Natsumatsuri Family Festival this weekend on Saturday, August 10!

Yukata are traditional Japanese garments for both men and women. Unlike kimono, they are worn for casual occasions, especially during the summer for special events such as obon or firework displays. They are unlined and made of cotton—making them nice and cool for those long, hot days.

In Heian-era Japan, court nobles wore linen yukata after bathing, a practice later adopted by the public with the popularization of public baths. Today, they are often brightly colored with fun patterns such as florals or geometric designs. Many young women coordinate their yukata color with that of their obi, or sash—some even wearing a more transparent obi on top for decoration. Some go all out and also wear geta, or traditional wooden clogs, and a kanzashi, a cute hair ornament.

2013 Natsumatsuri Family Festival
FREE ALL DAY!
Saturday, August 10, 2013
11AM – 5PM

2PM – 5PM: Try on a yukata and have your picture taken!
Suehiro Kimono Agency will dress you in a yukata so you can have a special picture to take home! Yukata are traditional light Japanese garments worn during the summer to keep cool.

For full schedule of activities: janm.org/natsumatsuri2013

Photos from the July Target FREE Family Saturday

Emily Leventhal Leave a comment
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One young guest proudly shows off his family portrait

We all had a blast at the Target Free Family Saturdays event on July 13! It was great to see so many families hanging out and working together to make family portraits and journals! The audience was packed for all of our book readings, especially Allen Say and his daughter Yuriko’s telling of The Favorite Daughter. While some of our young visitors made tasty and fresh summer salads with Kidding Around the Kitchen, others worked on recording their family stories in our writing workshop.

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Allen Say reads from his new book “The Favorite Daughter,” accompanied by his daughter (and inspiration) Yuriko

If you missed this Target Day, come on out to the next one, Zap! Pow! Bam!, on October 12th. And don’t miss our upcoming free Natsumatsuri on August 10th!

Thanks again to everyone who showed up, and all of our great volunteers who helped out. Check out more photos on our Facebook page!

Photos by: Caroline Jung, Russell Kitagawa, and Tsuneo Takasugi

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A young visitor works on her family portrait with a little help!
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Author Heidi Cole reads from her book “Am I a Color Too?”

 

 

 

 

 

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We Tell Stories performs multicultural tales in Proud to Be Me!
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Family members work together to record their stories in our writing workshop
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Two guests with their very own memory books

 

 

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Visible & Invisible curator Dr. Duncan Williams leads a tour of the exhibition
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Guests with their tasty creations from Kidding Around the Kitchen!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you for joining us in Seattle!

Allyson Nakamoto Leave a comment

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Thank you to the over 500 people who joined us at our fourth National Conference, Speaking Up! Democracy, Justice, Dignity, held July 4–7 in Seattle, Washington.

Participants came from around the nation, as well as from Canada and Japan to participate in a jam-packed program commemorating the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Civil Liberties Act.  [See below for a video of Secretary Norman Mineta’s keynote address at the dinner banquet on July 6.]

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We are now going through the photos, video footage, and audio recordings of the conference so that we can make them available on the Web. But for now, because we are so excited about all of the media, wanted to preview just a few of the photos and to say THANK YOU for helping make the conference unforgettable!  And a special THANK YOU to the folks in Seattle for sharing the history of their wonderful city with us.

(Photos by Tracy Kumono)

 

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Calling all JANM Member kids!

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Natsumatsuri Family Festival - FREE ALL DAY! Saturday, August 10, 2013, 11am-5pmThe very fun Natsumatsuri Family Festival is right around the corner—Saturday, August 10, 11 am – 5 pm. The National Museum welcomes ALL children to participate in free crafts and cultural activities—but there’s a special call out to Members!

To reward our members for supporting the National Museum, we will have “Member fast pass” lines for such popular activities as yukata dress-up, tote bag screen printing, and airbrush kid tattoos, not to mention a limited number of reserved-seating for the Japanese Mariachi and LA Matsuri Taiko performances.

The Japanese American National Museum is a community-based, cultural institution open for ALL people to learn about the stories of Japanese America. At JANM, we realize that our members and donors make an investment for EVERYONE and when we can, we give back a little extra to those supporters who help realize our mission and programs.  Thank you for your continued support and we’ll see you at Natsumatsuri!

Natsumatsuri = Summer FUN

For full Natsumatsuri Family Festival schedule >>

Join/renew as a Member >>

Hitoshi Sameshima throws out opening pitch at Dodger’s JA Community Night

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The opening pitch being thrown during the July 12th game against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium.Photo by Jon SooHoo/©Los Angeles Dodgers,LLC 2013.
The opening pitch being thrown during the July 12th game against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium.
Photo by Jon SooHoo/©Los Angeles Dodgers,LLC 2013.

 

In case you didn’t catch it, the Museum’s very own volunteer Hitoshi Sameshima threw the opening pitch for the Dodgers vs. Colorado Rockies home game on July 12th! He threw a great pitch alongside two other World War II veterans, James Ogawa and Don Seki during “Japanese American Community Night” at Dodger Stadium.

Sameshima is a familiar face at the Museum as a devoted docent, even giving a tour the day of the game. He was a student at the University of Southern California when the war broke out, and was eventually drafted into the Army while his family was interned at Gila River in Arizona. He served in the Military Intelligence Service as an interrogator and interpreter from 1944 to 1946.

Check out the footage here!

Special Courtyard Kids Lunch during Natsumatsuri, Saturday, 8/10

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Courtyard Kaeru playing taikoDid you honor a special child (or children) in your life this year? If you did it with the gift of a permanent engraving in the Plaza of the Japanese American National Museum, then your invitation has already been sent for our Saturday, August 10, 2013 Courtyard Kids luncheon.

This luncheon is invitation-only and will be a fun and refreshing time to celebrate some of our youngest supporters.

RSVP’s are due by Thursday, August 1. Please contact Gina Nieto (gnieto@janm.org or 213.830.5669) so that we may prepare food, goodie bags, and reserved tote bags (to be screen printed by your child later that day).

Even if your family can’t make the lunch but would like to attend Natsumatsuri—and take advantage of the member fast pass lines and reserved seating—please let Gina know and we will set aside a goodie bag and tote bag.

Check out the Natsumatsuri Family Festival schedule >>

For more information about the Children’s Courtyard >>