Manzanar Committee member James (Jim) To was the Associate Director for Community Affairs with the Associated Students UCSB and taught the class, Japanese American Internment, 1942-46, at the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2004. In this story, he not only writes about the first time he attended the Manzanar Pilgrimage, but also about how he has worked to share the experience with others, especially students.
This story was published on June 7, 2004 and originally appeared in 93106, which is published for the faculty and staff of UCSB. It is reprinted here with permission of the author.
James (Jim) To. Courtesy UCSB Public Affairs Department
A few years ago, a friend at UCLA asked me to participate with him in the Manzanar Pilgrimage, an annual event that recognized the struggle that Americans of Japanese ancestry went through during World War II in the 1940’s. That was a period in which thousands of Japanese Americans were interned at Manzanar and nine other camps in various states.
I was not able to go the first time he asked, but later, when I drove up US 395 on my way to Mammoth for vacation, between the cities of Lone Pine and Independence, I noticed a sign that said “Manzanar Relocation Center.” But I never thought twice about it when driving past the sign. Read more of this post
Reflections On Manzanar At Dusk 2010
July 28, 2010 Leave a Comment
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by James To
Draft resister Bill Nishimura during a small group discussion at the 2010 Manzanar At Dusk program, April 24, 2010.
Photo: Gann Matsuda
From my perspective, the 41st Annual Manzanar Pilgrimage on April 24, 2010, had a different impact on the mood of the people this year. I am not sure if it was the weather or the people, it certainly had a different feel for the day. I am grateful that draft resisters Takashi Hoshizaki and Bill Nishimura were our speakers at the Manzanar At Dusk 2010 program and that Tak was our speaker earlier in the day at the Pilgrimage.
As we prepared for the day’s event, there was the concern on how many people would come and did we have enough water. I guess a better question would be did we provide a good atmosphere for people to share their experience or for students to ask, “why I am here” or an even better question, “why did they send 10,000 people to the middle of the desert?” Read more of this post
Filed under Commentary, Manzanar At Dusk Tagged with 41st Annual Manzanar Pilgrimage, Bill Nishimura, James To, Jim To, Lone Pine, Lone Pine High School, Manzanar, Manzanar At Dusk, Manzanar Pilgrimage, Tak Hoshizaki, Takashi Hoshizaki