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STATEMENT FROM MOTHERS OF TOPAZ, W.R.A. CENTER
We mothers of American citizens of Japanese descent have fully cooperated for years with the American educational system so that our children would be worthy American citizens. We have taught our children to affirm their loyalty, especially in time of a nationalP emergency. This ideal is in keeping with the traditional spirit of Japanese mothers. As you may know, before the evacuation, we did not, and one instance, opposed the drafting of our sons, but willingly sent them with our encouragement.
When the amicable relationship that existed between America and Japan, for the last 80 years was broken by the declaration of war, most of us being aliens, we understood why our rights and privileges were curtailed. But we cannot understand why our children who are American citizens were placed in the similar category as we are ourselves. We mothers deeply regret this action on the part of the government, which by its unexpectedness caused immeasurable psychological suffering in our children.
The government has already impressed upon the public the fact that many have volunteered before evacuation, have gone overseas and established brilliant records; a number of our boys has volunteered even from the War Relocation Centers. The motivating impulse behind our sons’ willingness to serve with loyalty, courage, and self-sacrifice is not only love for their country, but also the hope that their families will be accorded greater consideration and the restoration of their civil rights.
As we think of our brave sons dead, and surmise the thought of Sergeant Ben Kuroki, who met with discrimination despite his distinguished service, we mothers feel anguish in our hearts.
During the registration of citizens of Japanese ancestry in February, 1943, our children, who had been educated in the American public schools and higher institutions, were again required to wear unqualified allegiance to the United States. Yet, today these American citizens must necessarily remain in the Centers and the similar classification, as we ourselves.
With the reinstitution of the Selective Service for Japanese Americans on the same basis as other citizens, we mothers deplore the discriminatory measures directed against them. We desire for our sons the privilege of entering the branch of the armed services which they select and of receiving full benefits accorded to American citizens.
For the reason presented, and moreover because we firmly believe that sincerity on the part of the Government can best be proved by proper action, we humbly request that Civil Rights be restored to our children now. Then can we courageously send forth our sons to fulfill their responsibility to their country without any fear whatsoever of their own and for their families’ future security.
Therefore, we trust that the Government will keep faith with the Democratic principles upon which America was founded.
We, the undersigned mothers respectfully submit the foregoing statement for your sincere consideration.
1Read more about the Mothers of Topaz in Densho.
The Topaz Stories Team
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Media Coverage:
Watch “Utah Historians Run Exhibit on Japanese American Internment,” abc4 News, 2/19/2025).
Read “Utah Once Said ‘Never Again’–Do We Mean It? Deseret News, (2/26/2025).
Read “Topaz Stories Exhibition: A Way to Remember the Past.” SUU News, 2/7/2025.
Read ‘Topaz Stories’ exhibit travels Utah showing human side of WWII internment (KSL.com, May 24, 2024)
Read ‘Topaz Stories’ mines the history of a Japanese American internment camp (ParkRecord, May 18, 2024)
Read Remembering Japanese American Internment–Day of Remembrance (Rosie the Riveter Trust blog, March 24, 2024)
Read Internee’s story told with ‘Topaz Collages’ (Wheel of Dharma, Vol. 5, Issue 3, March 2023).
Watch Topaz survivors tell their stories (abc4 News, 4/22/2022)
Listen to the “In the Hive” podcast with interviews with Ann Dion, Jonathan Hirabayashi, and Topaz survivors Jeanie Kashima and Joseph Nishimura (KCPW, 4/28/2022)
Read How a Utah exhibit about Topaz Camp looks to find empathy in ‘an ugly stain on American history (ksl.com, 4/22/2022)
Read “Topaz Stories rise from the dust,” (Department of Culture & Community Engagement, 4/2022)
Listen to KQED Forum, Day of Remembrance interview with Ruth Sasaki, 2/15/2022
Listen to Max Chang and Ruth Sasaki interviewed (KRCL RadioActive, 2/9/2022
Read On Topaz Stories and ‘Authentic Voice’, the Discover Nikkei interview with Ruth Sasaki (10/14/2022)
Listen to Remembering the Japanese American Incarceration on Brad Westwood’s “Speak Your Piece” podcast featuring Ruth Sasaki and Jonathan Hirabayashi (6/2/2021)