As we celebrate Mother’s Day this weekend, let’s take a moment to honor the Mothers of Topaz, 1,141 Issei mothers incarcerated in Topaz concentration camp who signed a petition objecting to the drafting of their American sons into segregated combat teams in 1944. They were not objecting to the draft, and were not against their sons serving–but felt strongly that their sons’ civil rights were being denied–first, by being incarcerated along with their parents (who were prevented by law from becoming U.S. citizens); and then by not being allowed to serve in any branch of the military as other U.S. soldiers were able to do.
The petition was sent to President Franklin D. Roosevelt and other national leaders on March 11, 1944. Responses ranged from dismissive to somewhat sympathetic, while some cautioned that the mothers’ actions could be interpreted as espionage and impede the restoration of their civil rights.1
We sometimes think of the Issei–especially the women–as voiceless during the incarceration experience. The Mothers of Topaz show us that they had a voice. It was simply not heard.
See the text of their petition on the following pages.