By Staff
NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
Puyallup Valley chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) held its 47th annual Day of Remembrance at the Washington State Fairgrounds on Feb. 8.
The Day of Remembrance marks the anniversary of Executive Order 9066. The executive order imprisoned at least 125,000 Japanese and Japanese Americans during WWII. The fairgrounds used to be an incarceration camp, holding 7,500 Japanese and Japanese Americans from the Seattle area.
Organizers said that the sign-in book recorded double the number of people in attendance this year compared to last year. This year’s event saw about 250 people over last year’s 120 people. Attendees had the opportunity to view the Remembrance Gallery, which opened on Aug. 30, 2024, and listen to several speakers.
Survivors and descendants of WWII incarceration listen to speakers during the Day of Remembrance program. Puyallup Valley JACL / Theo Bickel.
Harold Taniguchi emceed program, opening with a land acknowledgement and Indigenous prayer song to recognize the Puyallup Tribe’s history and continued stewardship of the land where the Day of Remembrance took place.
Eileen Yamada Lamphere, President of the Puyallup Valley JACL, spoke about the history behind the Day of Remembrance and why it is important to continue to share the story of Japanese American WWII incarceration.
Eileen Yamada Lamphere, President of the Puyallup Valley Japanese American Citizens League, addresses the crowd. Puyallup Valley JACL / Theo Bickel.
Irene Fujii Mano, who was incarcerated at Puyallup and Minidoka with her family as a child, shared her personal experiences of WWII incarceration. Stan Shikuma of Tsuru for Solidarity and the Seattle JACL spoke about connections between Japanese American incarceration during WWII and migrant detention today, and encouraged attendees to find ways to stand up against current injustices and “stop repeating history.”
Members of Tsuru for Solidarity, a group of survivors and descendants of WWII incarceration working to end immigrant detention today, pose with signs reading “Stop Repeating History!” and “Not OK in 1942! Not OK Now!” Puyallup Valley JACL / Theo Bickel.
After the main program, Shikuma and Miwa Tokunaga led survivors and elders in a procession to the Remembrance Gallery. Remaining guests were then led to the Gallery in smaller groups by gallery docents.
People read the names of people memorialized in the Remembrance Gallery. Puyallup Valley JACL / Theo Bickel.