On February 19, Executive Order 9066 authorized the "evacuation" and "relocation" of all individuals of Japanese descent in what was designated as Military Zone 1 and 2. This included the entire west coast of the United States from Washington State to California. These  individuals were told to bring "what they could carry" to a pick-up site, to be taken to a "relocation" center, that was unknown both in time and space. They were not told where they were going or for how long.

This timeline covers significant events that led to the incarceration of over 120,000 people of Japanese descent, the majority of which were US citizens. The Japanese American incarceration is now seen as one of the most significant violations of civil liberties in recent US history. This content provides information to examine the 10 incarceration centers and links to other, more comprehensive, resources about this history. It includes contemporary publications about this history in illustration and comics. It intends to provide insight into the context of the Yellow Peril that created a fear of Japanese in America in popular culture and the media at that time.