The Voices of Fourth- and Fifth-Generation Japanese Americans on U.S. History

• In Event: What Should We Do? Diverse Case Studies in Intergenerational Community Building

Abstract

This study highlighting the lives of 40 fourth and fifth generation Japanese Americans extends beyond simply looking at generational status as an indicator of “Americanness” but rather pursuing ethnic identity enmeshed in historical, cultural, and sociological factors. The individual stories investigate how the ethnic heritage of Japanese Americans is honored by the history of their grandparents and their ethnic identity. Incarceration, redress, and 442nd were among the most commonly discussed topics and how this connects to both ethnic identity and questions citizenship. The author provides suggestions for practitioners and educational researchers in pedagogical practices as well as curriculum review in order to accurately highlight the unjust incarceration of Japanese Americans.

Author

• Lorine Erika Saito, National University