Racism During the Evacuation
On December 8, 1941, the day after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the Los Angeles Times announced that California was “a zone of danger” and called for alert, keen-eyed civilians…
Anti-Japanese Prejudice Prior to WWII
Rev. Albert E. Day, pastor of the First Methodist Church in Pasadena, preached in the wake of the Japanese American relocation, “You may have race prejudice if you want it;…
The Heart of Deconstruction
In recent months, I’ve spoken with friends who have drifted from the Christian faith for various reasons: doctrinal doubt, a pastor’s failure, church abuse, political triumphalism, Covid conflict, ethnic tensions,…
Nikkei Christianity Prior to WWII
By 1941, when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, approximately one hundred Nikkei Christian congregations had already been established. Much of this was due to the zealous efforts of churches and…
The Push for Integration
Another matter greatly debated during resettlement was whether religious denominations should resume the segregated Japanese ethnic churches or push for integration. Almost from the start of relocation, the WRA began…
Teachers Behind Barbed Wire
In addition to college opportunities for some, many Christians saw the need to provide education for children behind the barbed wire. This ministry of school teachers deserves special mention as…