What do you know about the Japanese American Incarceration? 

• Did you know that approximately 120,000 Japanese Americans were unjustly imprisoned in incarceration camps during World War II out of fear that they were enemy spies?
• Did you know that of these 120,000 Japanese Americans, more than two-thirds were born United States citizens?
• Did you know that a large portion of the Japanese Americans who were imprisoned in incarceration camps were children? 
• Did you know that Japanese Americans volunteered to serve in the military while they and their families were still imprisoned in camp? 
• Did you know that none of these 120,000 Japanese Americans were ever found guilty of being an enemy spy? 

Discussion Activity: 

• What do you already know about the Japanese American Incarceration? (Hint: It's ok if you don't know anything!) 
• Did any of the facts above surprise you? Which stood out the most? 
• What questions do you have about the Japanese American Incarceration?

About this Exhibition 

In this exhibition, Images and Imaginings of Internment: Comics and Illustrations of Camp, you will learn about the Japanese American wartime incarceration and its legacy through images, mainly comics. Images are a good way to learn about incarceration because the government prevented incarcerated Japanese Americans from documenting their daily lives through film or photography. One of the only ways they could share their experience was through comics, art, and illustrations. The images of incarceration created by Japanese Americans in camp were very different from the images created by those outside of camp. Artists outside of camp often used their art to try and justify the Japanese American incarceration. Looking at both of these representations helps us understand the Japanese American Incarceration experience and how such an injustice was allowed to happen. 

Comments 

Throughout this exhibition, you will see a small, grey comment bubble at the bottom of the screen. We encourage everyone to leave their thoughts, findings, questions, and/or suggestions there. Your contributions are an important part of this project and will enrich the experiences of those who come after you. 

Note about Language: 

You may have noticed that we use "incarceration" and "internment" interchangeably. There has been much discussion about which word should be used, but most scholars agree today that "incarceration" is the most accurate. Learn more about this discussion here.