Within the Silence: The internment of Japanese Americans during WWII

A dramatic presentation by Becky Chong of LIving Voices, a multi-media performance company from Seattle.

Living Voices is a nationally touring educational theatre bringing life to history through the power of live theatre, video, and personal discussion. Followed by a panel discussion of current immigration and civil rights issues.

The Story

Emiko Yamada is a teenage girl growing up in Seattle's "Nihonmachi" (Japantown). For a "Nisei" (The child of immigrants from Japan) it is clear that there are certain parts of town and certain establishments were you are not allowed to go. The Yamadas own a small grocery store where "Emi" works and dreams of someday going to College and becoming a teacher.

The Yamadas are proud of their "American" life and their contribution to their new country. When Japan attacks Pearl Harbor, Emi and her family are the victims of anti-Japanese hysteria. The people of Emiko's community have become the scapegoat for American fear, even though they are not responsible for the actions of a foreign country.

The story follows the Yamadas as they are forced to sell or give away their possessions and home. When Roosevelt signs Executive Order 9066, the army rounds everyone in Emi's community up. They are first placed in a camp called "Camp Harmony", on the site of the Washington State Fair. Emi's father is taken away by the FBI to a special camp in Montana.

From Camp Harmony Emi is sent to a new camp in Idaho called "Minidoka". She and her family remain here for three years. While in Minidoka Emi's family is reunited with their father but he has become withdrawn. Her brothers take different sides when the government demands that they state their loyalty to the United States. Grant wanting to prove his loyalty joins the Army. Tommy refuses to answer "yes" to the government's loyalty questions and is ostracized as a "No-No" boy. Grant is killed by the Germans during the war. Tommy is sent to a maximum-security prison camp.

After the war he moves to Chicago and finds himself welcomed there. When Emi and her parents return to Seattle they slowly rebuild their lives. Emi, having lost her dream to go to college is surprised when her parents send her to school. Emi understands that she will not be able to talk about the camps to other Americans but tries to look forward and honor her family. She looks forward to a time of greater understanding when her story can be told.