In February 1942 27 women of Japanese ancestry lost their office jobs with Seattle public schools. The school district gave in to a wave of war hysteria and anti-Japanese sentiment in asking for the women’s resignation. Four decades letter their case became part of the push for redress for Japanese Americans unjustly treated during the war. The surviving women accepted an apology and reparation payments from Governor Booth Gardner and the school district in April, 1986. Pictured here are four of the women along with redress champions including school board member T.J. Vassar, center. Photo by Dean Wong, 1986.
Previous articleSnapshots in Time: Karen Yoshitomi (right), executive director of the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Washington (JCCCW), spoke about the failure of political leadership that led to the incarceration at King County Council’s 75th anniversary Proclamation of Remembrance for Executive Order 9066. Photo by Lexi Potter, February 21, 2017.
Next articleSnapshots in Time: Henry Chin, a Chinatown cook, shows his room at the Republic Hotel. Photographer and date unknown.