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Hundreds of people gathered Sunday for the 40th anniversary San Jose Day of Remembrance event at the San Jose Buddhist Church Betsuin. The event commemorates the the signing of Executive Order 9066.
The order, signed Feb. 19, 1942, led to the forced removal and incarceration of 120,000 people of Japanese descent during World War II.
The “No Camps, No Cages” themed event started with a candlelight procession through historic San Jose Japantown. The event, held to remember the civil liberties tragedy and to reflect on the rising tensions that are building within communities today, featured speakers including Norman Y. Mineta, a former South Bay Congressman and transportation secretary during the George W. Bush administration; Dr. Amy Iwasaki Mass, an internment survivor; and Fahad Alam, president of the South Bay Islamic Association.
Swingposium, San Jose Taiko, the Wesley Jazz Ensemble and The Interfaith Choir also performed during the event.
Meanwhile, the state of California will apologize to those who were interned during World War II. According to the Associated Press, “On Thursday, California’s Legislature is expected to approve a resolution offering an apology to … internment victims for the state’s role in aiding the U.S. government’s policy and condemning actions that helped fan anti-Japanese discrimination.”
