A chat with the Chicago Japanese American Historical Society

The Chicago Japanese American Historical Society (CJAHS) is one of 25 Core Members within the Chicago Cultural Alliance. The Executive director Jean Mishima and volunteer staff member Laurel Fujisawa have described some of what the CJAHS does, their mission and their relationship to the Alliance.

Q: How would you describe the purpose or goals of your organization (in a few sentences)?
A: The Chicago Japanese American Historical Society is a grassroots organization founded in the early 1990s. Our mission is to preserve, promote, and present the history of Japanese Americans in the Chicago area.

We have been documenting our history and legacy in Chicago, educating the general public about the Japanese American and Japanese experience and culture, and developing teaching materials and museum exhibits which feature aspects of Japanese American history.

Q: How would you define your community?
A: Our community, Japanese Americans in Chicago, is composed of three waves of immigration, and their descendants: The first, about 300 people, came to Chicago around the time of the Columbian Exposition in 1899. The second, and largest, group is descended from 30,000 who came to Chicago directly from the internment camps after World War II. Called the "ReSettlers", they created a community built around social service organizations, Buddhist and Christian churches and small businesses. The third, more recent, group are Japanese nationals who came to Chicago in the 1980s and 90s as artists and students and remained. A fourth, non-immigrant, group are Japanese business executives and their families who live in Chicago for a short span of time of generally two years.

Q: How does it contribute, or in what ways is it an asset, to the city of Chicago?
A: The CJAHS partners with many other cultural and ethnic organizations in the city. We volunteer at many events and share the Japanese American culture. We annually decorate a tree that represents our organization at City Hall. We have begun collecting stories of Japanese/Japanese Americans that have made a impact in Chicago.

Q: How does your organization serve your community? Please provide some specific examples.

A: CJAHS mission is dedicated to preserving the first-voice perspective of Chicago Japanese American experiences. We have been documenting our history and legacy in Chicago, educating the general public through workshops for educators, classroom presentations at the elementary, high school, college level and community facilities about the Japanese American and Japanese experience and culture, and developing teaching materials and museum exhibits which feature aspects of Japanese American history.

Q: How did you become involved with this organization?
A: Shortly after the 1980s’ Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians (CWIRC) hearings in Chicago, Yoji Ozaki lead discussion groups for Japanese American senior citizen residents at Heiwa Terrace. These watershed hearings gave psychological permission to former internees to finally discuss their camp experiences. As was the case in many other Japanese American communities, these discussions provided a much needed opportunity to come to terms with past traumatic events. Later, in the early 1990s, Scott La France from the Chicago Historical Society asked the Japanese American community for its help in developing the exhibit “Chicago Goes to War, 1941-45.” Yoji Ozaki responded and the Japanese American relocation story was included in this major exhibit. Following this experience with the community, La France saw a need for formalizing historical documentation and recommended forming a Chicago Japanese American Historical Society.

Q: What has been the most rewarding part of working with this organization?
A: I feel a sense of accomplishment in preserving the Japanese American experience. It is satisfying to share the WW2 experience to history students and other groups that didn't know about the incarceration of Americans of Japanese ancestry. It is a rewarding to contribute to history projects of young students that can't find information in mainstream resources. Mostly, I feel enriched by all the people I've met through this organization.

Q: Why do you think it is important for your organization to be part of the Chicago Cultural Alliance?
A: Our organization represents a rich minority community that has made a large contribution to Chicago.

Q: How has the Alliance expanded your opportunities (i.e. funding, relationship-building, etc.)?
A: It provided us the opportunity to build relationships with other Alliance members to work together on projects. The CJAHS is involved with photo exhibit hosted by the Field Museum "part asian - 100% hapa" on race and will use this opportunity to partner with other ethnic organizations on assimilation and race. Our connections to the museums and educational institutions gives us the ability to find a larger audience. Networking through the Alliance makes it possible to instantly collaborate and partner with other institutions.

Q: How do you understand the Alliance's mission of "effect[ing] social change and public understanding of cultural diversity?" What is the significance of this mission to your organization?
A: After WW2, the Japanese Americans were told to leave the concentration camps in the West and settle in other cities. Chicago was one destination. The Japanese Americans were also ordered to assimilate. Consequently, many of our younger generation are racially mixed. Many of them are interested in finding their roots. We find the Alliance to be contemporary and very attractive to our current generation.