On February 19, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066. The document ordered the forced removal of resident "enemy aliens" from the west coast of the United States, designated as Military Zones 1 and 2.
Let's Explore!
Click the image of Executive Order 9066 below and read its instructions carefully. Take notice of the words and phrases it uses.
Let's Talk About It!
Which parts of this document are confusing? Which words or instructions seem unclear?
Who is this notice addressed to? What does "Japanese ancestry, both alien and non-alien" mean?
If you received this notice, what questions would you have? Do you know where you are going to how long you'll be away?
This order was issued on May 15th and the "evacuation" will be complete by May 20th. How would you feel if you only had 5 days to prepare yourself or your family to leave, possibly forever?
What do words like "evacuate" suggest? How might the word "evacuate" be misleading?
12023-08-21T21:53:51+00:00Anonymous1/16 What you can carryRon Inatomi1plain2023-08-21T21:53:51+00:00Just 1/16 Japanese ancestry is reason to incarcerate..they even searched the orphanages..unbelievable. As a Sansei I cannot comprehend what the Isseis and Niseis were faced with…if it happened today to me, how would I sell my house, two cars, and decades of personal belongings….all for a fair price…vultures knowing the situation would offer me a fraction of the value, and forced to say “Yes to what I can get” Our pioneer Fathers and Mothers said Shikata ga nai & Gaman, rarely if at all talked about it.Ron Inatomi
12023-02-12T22:19:15+00:00Woman in front of 90661April 25, 1942 — San Francisco, California. Residents of Japanese ancestry appear for registration prior to evacuation. Photograph by Dorthea Lange.plain2023-02-12T22:19:15+00:00
