RIGHTING A WRONG: JAPANESE AMERICANS AND WORLD WAR II

Righting a Wrong: Japanese Americans and World War II (a Smithsonian Institution Poster Exhibition), Museum of Work & Culture, January 13–March 31, 2022.

The Righting a Wrong: Japanese Americans and World War II poster exhibition traces the story of Japanese national and Japanese American incarceration during World War II and the people who survived it. Young and old lived crowded together in hastily built camps, endured poor living conditions, and were under the constant watch of military guards for two and a half years. Meanwhile, brave Japanese American men risked their lives fighting for the United States. Some 40 years later, members of the Japanese American community led the nation to confront the wrong it had done—and urged Congress to make it right. Based on an original exhibition at the National Museum of American History, the Righting a Wrong poster exhibition centers around eight core questions that encourage viewers to engage in a dialogue about how this happened and could it happen again. Embracing themes that are as relevant today as they were 75 years ago, the poster exhibition brings forth themes of identity, immigration, prejudice, civil rights, courage, and what it means to be an American. 

—Smithsonian Institution 

The Museum of Work & Culture’s presentation of Righting a Wrong: Japanese Americans and World War II harnesses a variety of media to tell this critical history. Complimenting the Smithsonian posters are a digital exhibit, a short documentary, musical reflections, informational videos, explanatory texts, illustrative graphic novel panels, visual art, and a book nook where visitors can learn about Japanese American experiences during this time period through classic children’s books.

Righting a Wrong Video Tour:

Programs for this exhibition were sponsored by the New England Japanese American Citizens League and included the following:

• "The Power of Objects,"  January 23, 2022, 1:00pm. In this presentation, Smithsonian Museum Specialist Noriko Sanefuji highlighted the work being done to tell the story of Japanese American incarceration through artifacts. A co-curator of the original Smithsonian exhibit “Righting a Wrong: Japanese Americans and World War II” (upon which the Museum of Work & Culture’s current temporary exhibition is based), Sanefuji’s presentation reflected on how artifacts and objects are important in analyzing and synthesizing this history.

• "Day of Remembrance 2022: Executive Order 9066 and Its Legacies," February 19, 2022, 1:00pm. On February 19, 1942, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, which authorized removal of people of Japanese ancestry from the west coast of the United States. Since that time, February 19 has been recognized every year by the Japanese community throughout the U.S. as a Day of Remembrance. In honor of the 80th anniversary, the Museum welcomed Ken Nomiyama, who was born in an incarceration camp in Northern California, and Jim McIlwain, a student of Japanese American history, to discuss EO 9066 and its consequences during World War II and today.

• "Family Memories: A Conversation About Camp and Its Aftermath." March 12, 2022, 1:00pm. David Sakura, Ph.D. and Margie Yamamoto engaged in conversation about their experiences, and those of their families, during and after World War II. This program was moderated by Erin Aoyama, Ph.D. candidate in American Studies, Brown University.

• "Spam Musubi and Onigiri Cooking Tutorial and Comic." February/March 2022. Illustrator Rae Kuruhara celebrates Japanese American food culture in a short video and comic.

The didactic panels created for this exhibition by the Museum can be found here.

Press:

Vivian Trutzl, "'Righting a Wrong' open through March 31," Valley Breeze, February 24, 2022.

Amy Russo, "Woonsocket museum sheds light on hidden stories of Japanese internment," Providence Journal, February 18, 2022. Featured on the front page of the February 19, 2022 paper.

Joseph B. Nadeau, "Museum of Work & Culture opens exhibit on Japanese Americans during World War II," Woonsocket Call, January 26, 2022. PDF.

Frank Abe, "“We Hereby Refuse” artwork on display in Rhode Island," RESISTERS.COM: Japanese American Resistance to Wartime Incarceration, January 11, 2022. [Frank Abe is the co-author of the graphic novel whose panels are displayed in this exhibition!)