Perhaps it’s fitting that we share the final stories of our collection on the 79th anniversary of the opening of Topaz Relocation Center on September 11, 1942.
Inspired by the discovery of handmade scrapbooks that had been stored away for almost 70 years, the “Topaz Toddlers” Project is tracking down the Topaz survivors who created the art as preschoolers in Topaz. Help us find them!
In “Ties that Bind,” Jonathan Hirabayashi connects his childhood memory of his mother’s Christmas card list with the unbreakable ties forged by Japanese Americans’ communal wartime experience.
Ruth Sasaki’s “The Oda Boys” is the story of an orphan who went on to fight in the 442 Regimental Combat Team, the most decorated unit in U.S. military history for its size and length of service.
We hope you have enjoyed the stories. The Topaz Stories Project Team would once again like to thank all of the contributors for trusting us with their family lore, and for graciously allowing us to share their stories and family photos with the world.
We hope the lessons of history can unite us in the continuing struggle against mass incarceration, the abuse of power, separation of families, and the targeting of groups of people based on their race, religion, or national origin. Please share this website on social media, with educators, policy makers, and anyone else who is interested in learning more about one aspect of Asian American history.
Meanwhile…what’s next?
This was always meant to be an ongoing project. I am currently developing a few more Topaz stories and will send out a notice when they are published (after a two-week break). If you have a Topaz Story, or know someone who does, please contact us on our website or email us at topazstories@gmail.com.
Also, the Topaz Stories Exhibit, originally scheduled at the Utah State Capitol Building in Salt Lake City in 2020 (but canceled due to COVID) is being rescheduled for 2022. We will keep you informed once the dates are finalized.
Thanks for following us this summer!
Ruth Sasaki
Topaz Stories Editor
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