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Description 
The Empty Chair: The Forced Removal and Resettlement of Juneau's Japanese Community, 1941-1950 The forced removal of Japanese and Japanese-Americans from the West Coast during World War II is an often overlooked piece of American history. This relocation not only impacted the families removed but also the communities from which they were taken. The Juneau community stood in quiet defiance as their friends and neighbors were taken from their homes. They welcomed the Japanese-American families back into Juneau society after the war, a welcome that was not seen by all returning to their West Coast communities. In an attempt to rebuild, repair and move on, the forced removal was never discussed as a community. This exhibit tells the stories of eight Japanese-American families that were taken from their homes in 1942 and relocated to the Minidoka Internment Camp located in Idaho. All of the families lived in Juneau between 1941 and 1950 either before and/or after the war. This exhibit, curated by Jodi DeBruyne, is based on first-person narratives and would not have been possible without the willingness of the Akagi, Fukuyama, Kanazawa, Kito, Komatsubara, Kumasaka, Taguchi, and Tanaka families to share their stories, photographs and objects; nor would the exhibit have been possible without the partnership with the Empty Chair Committee. Thank you to all that participated. Albert Shaw Alice (Tanaka) Hikido Andy Pekovich Betty Echigo Marriott Brent Fischer, Director CBJ Parks & Recreation Connie Lundy David Gray Dixie Johnson Belcher Fumi Matsumoto Greg Chaney Haruo "Ham" Kumasaka Janet Borgen Pekovich Janie Hollenbach Homan Jackie Honeywell Triplette Jim Triplette Margie Alstead Shackelford Marie Hanna Darlin Mark Kanazawa Marsha Erwin Bennett Mary (Tanaka) Abo Nancy (Fukuyama) Albright Randy Wanamaker Reiko Sumada Karleen Alstead Grummett Roger Grummett Ron Inouye Rose (Komatsubara) Wayne Sam Kito, Jr.
Introduction Panel -The Empty Chair: The Forced Removal and Relocation of Juneau's Japanese, 1941-1951 -Permission to use this image may be obtained by contacting museum staff.
Image

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Mailing Address: 155 South Seward, Juneau, Alaska 99801 --- General Information: (907) 586-3572 ---- Museum Home: http://www.juneau.org/museum Curator of Collections and Exhibits: Jodi DeBruyne    Jodi.DeBruyne@juneau.org
Last modified on: December 31, 2014