User:GoatedScholar12/Day of Remembrance (Japanese Americans)

Background
The Day of Remembrance (DOR, Japanese: 追憶の日, Tsuioku no Hi) is a day of commemoration for the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II. It is a day for people of Japanese descent in the U.S. to reflect upon the consequences of Executive Order 9066. The Day of Remembrance also creates a space for the facilitation of dialogue and informing the public about the repercussions of such government action. There are events in numerous U.S. states, especially along the West Coast, are held on or near February 19, which marks the day in 1942 that Executive Order 9066 was signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, requiring internment of all Americans of Japanese ancestry. Areas where people of Japanese descent in the U.S. were forced to relocate included Arizona, Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Arkansas, and Idaho. There are events held in each of these states as well. Events are not only relegated to the West Coast or areas that possessed internment camps and it is widely observed in areas such as New England, Chicago, Alaska, Philadelphia, and New York.

Observance
Day of Remembrance is observed across the United States. General practices and activities include a day of commemoration, remembering those affected by Executive Order 9066 and a brief history of the events of Japanese internment. It can also include panel discussions, speeches, presentations, art walks, film observance, general activism and firsthand accounts.

Idaho
The state of Idaho has been commemorating day of remembrance since the early 2000s. the governors office often facilitates these events. In recent years the event in Idaho has included films. both involved dialogue about the grave concern of civil rights violations faced by people of Japanese descent but the more broad impact and repercussions of actions that lead to such events. in 2023 the state screened the film the power of words. in 2024 Idaho screened a film titled omoiyari created by artist kishi bashi.

California
In 1986 Governor George Deukmejian declared February 19, 1986 to be a Day of Remembrance in California, the first DOR designation by the state of California., two and a half years before the "redress bill" (Civil Liberties Act of 1988) was signed on August 10, 1988. In 2013, a ceremony was to be held in San Francisco's Japantown district complete with speakers and the presentation of the Peace and Humanitarian Award to Dr. Clifford I. Uyeda.

Colorado
In Colorado, the earliest recorded Day of Remembrance event was held February 17th, 2013 at the History Colorado Center in Denver, Colorado. The event was hosted by the Mile High Chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) and consisted of 5 Japanese American speakers Carolyn Takeshita, Rose Tanaka, Bob Fuchigami, Aiko Okubo and Min Mochizoki. Each of these speakers shared their stories of Japanese internment and the events that occurred the day they were forced out of their homes and what life was like after. In each of their cases, these events happened when they were only children. The event lasted a day and gathered a crowd of over 200 people.

Arizona
Recorded Day of Remembrance events in Arizona date back to 2017 and 2021. The event in 2017 was facilitated by the Southern Arizona Japanese Cultural Coalition. During this Southern Arizona Japanese Cultural Coalition held a discussion with a broad amount coalition of people who have familial ties to Japanese Interment. They included faculty members, photographers, and former government employees, some of who had direct familial ties to Japanese Internment. There was a panel discussion held by the Asian Pacific American Student Affairs located at The University of Arizona in 2021.

Alaska
The first recorded Day of Remembrance event in Alaska was held on February 19th, 2016 at the Joint-Base Elmendorf Richardson. The event consisted of Alice Tanaka Hikido telling her story of Japanese internment when she was 9 years old. The event was purposely held on February 19th due to it being the anniversary of Executive Order 9066.

In Alaska, the earliest recorded Day of Remembrance event was held on February 19th, 2016. It was hosted at the Joint-Base Elmendorf Richardson with an attendance of a few dozen people and was a first of its kind event held at the Joint-Base Elmendorf Richardson. The event was a single day event consisting of speaker Alice Tanaka Hikido who as a child, lived through the events of relocation and Japanese Internment when she was only 9 years old. The place this event took place in was unique due to the fact the building is resting on a not commonly known Internment camp. Knowing this information, it was also noted that in Hikido's presentation references to the prison like containment of the camps were made known.

Utah
The earliest recorded Day of Remembrance in Utah was February 19th, 2005, held in Salt Lake City's Japantown. The Event was complete with speakers such as United States Representative, Mike Honda, and University of Utah professor, Haruko Moriyasu, as well as the presentation of the film "Toyo Miyatake: Infinite Shades of Gray," A film of the local history of Utah's Japan Town.

In Utah, the earlier recorded Day of Remembrance event was held February 19th 2005. The event was held in Salt Lake City's Japantown at the Japanese Church of Christ by the Japanese-American community. The event was held to remember the role the war had on the Japantown and community. The event consisted of speakers such as the United States Representative Mike Honda who recognized February 19th as a day to educate people on the injustices of World War II, University of Utah Professor Haruko Moriyasu as well as the presentation of the 30 minute film "Toyo Miyatake: Infinite Shades of Gray," A film based off of Toyo Miyatake's secret photography at the Manzanar Internment camp.

Art Installations and Photo Exhibits
February 11th, 2019, The University of Utah's American West Center sponsored and exhibit commemorating Japanese Interment. It featured photographs taken by Dorothea Lange and Ansel Adams that captured the experience of those who were forced to be relocated to internment camps.

Juneau, Alaska
February 14th, 2014, the Juneau-Douglas City Museum displayed "The Empty Chair: The Forced Removal and Relocation of Juneau's Japanese, 1941-1951." The Empty Chair is a bronze folding chair sculpted by Peter Reiquam, designed to give the visitor an idea of what the sculpture is memorializing. The sculpture is placed on simulated floor boards that are similar to the gymnasium floor the graduation ceremony for the Juneau High School class of 1958.

Arizona
https://tucsondart.org/museum-exhibitions/

Behind Barbed Wire

​''GAMBATTE! Legacy of an Enduring Spirit''

Arizona
Art of Circumstance

https://tucsondart.org/museum-exhibitions/