The Oral History Committee of the local chapter has established a Speakers Bureau to serve as an educational resource for teachers and civic organizations in the Sonoma County area. This Speakers Bureau, offered as a free service, was established to educate the public about the Japanese American experience, particularly the mass evacuation and incarceration of 120,000 Japanese Americans in concentration camps during World War II.
This event was a violation of the constitutional rights of American citizens and legal resident aliens who were incarcerated on the basis of racial prejudice by the U.S. Government. The speakers are primarily members of the Japanese American community in Sonoma County. Some of the speakers either had family members or were themselves in these concentration camps.
Purpose
To share the unique story of diversity and cultural interdependence between the Japanese American and the rest of the communities in Sonoma County before, during and after World War II.
Mission Statements
- Prepare a group of speakers to make presentations to school and civic groups
- Continue to tell the story of the Japanese American internment during WWII
- Ensure that the lessons of our history will not be forgotten
- Act as a reminder that the civil liberties of every individual must be actively safeguarded