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Ten Visits
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Ten Visits

By Frank and Joanne Iritani
1999, 68 pages, paperback.
Book Description from the Preface
Comments from Back Cover
About the Author

ORDER -- Item #2233, Price $15.95

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PREFACE

During World War II, more than 120,000 Americans of Japanese ancestry were forcibly removed from the West Coast and parts of Hawaii and were unconstitutionally incarcerated in camps in some of the most desolate parts of the country by the United States government. Men, women, and children, young and old, American citizens and resident aliens, all were swept away by the government. The painful loss of their civil rights was amplified by the harshness of their new living conditions which included confinement within barbed wire fences and patrols by armed military guards.

This tragic period in American history is one that remains little known and dimly understood to those outside the Japanese American community. Visitors to the Japanese American National Museum are often startled to learn about the mass incarceration which for many occurred "in their own backyard." While the Museum exhibitions and programs help to educate visitors on this and other parts of Japanese American history, it is the Museum's dedicated corps of volunteer docents who often have the greatest impact in bringing this chapter of American history to life through their compelling stories.

Part of understanding this experience is discovering where these campsites were located and comprehending the conditions Japanese Americans endured for as much as three years. The Iritanis have visited these camps and spent many hours researching the information in this book. The maps, photographs and detailed descriptions about their site visits and pilgrimage journeys are very informative. For those of you who are more adventurous and prefer to explore these sites on your own, Ten Visits provides you with the proper tools to embark on a journey of discovery. As you visit these bleak environments that were once called "home" to thousands, you will come closer to understanding how seriously this has affected the Japanese American community.

The Museum is deeply grateful to Frank and Joanne Iritani for their foresight in taking on this ambitious project and for their generosity - all proceeds from the sale of this book are being donated to the Museum. We are confident that you will find Ten Visits to be a very useful educational tool and we encourage you to visit the Museum to learn more about this experience as well as many other important chapters of American history.

Irene Y. Hirano
Executive Director & President
Japanese American National Museum

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Comments from Back Cover

Ten Visits is beautifully done. The color photos look good and the articles are very informative...
-Yuba City, California

I would like to order another copy for our grandchildren. They are junior high age and seem to need information about the relocation camps...
-Kingsburg, California

...a very historical and educational document...
-Portland, Oregon

Thank you for doing such a wonderful project. I was not in a Relocation Center, but I think it is important for our children and generations to come to be aware of what happened during World War II. Please send me six more copies.
-Ft. Lupton, Colorado

Thank you for the contribution of Ten Visits to the Asian American Studies Library.
-UC Berkeley, Ethnic Studies Department

The closure (of the WWII) camps marked the end of an incident in our American history of which we should be thoroughly ashamed...
-Rocky Mountain News, Denver, Colorado

Race remains one of American's biggest problems...
-The Economist, August 3, 1997

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Background on Frank and Joanne Iritani

Frank and Joanne Ono Iritani are Nisei and native born American citizens. Frank was born around Denver, Colorado, where his parents farmed after migrating from Okayama, Japan. Joanne was born in Bakersfield, California where her parents farmed. Her parents came from Fukushima, Japan and the family was forced into the Poston, Arizone Relocation Center from May 25, 1942 until August, 1945.

Frank attended University of Minnesota and Pacific School of Religion, served in the Military Intelligence Language Service, in the Christian ministry, and in Social Service work with Kern County before retiring in 1986. Both worked to obtain successful passage of Redress although he was never intered since he was living inland in Colorado when World War II started. He was one of the founding members of Kern County Human Relations Commission, 1990-92.

Joanne attended UC Berkeley, received a Master's Degree from California State University, Bakersfield, and was a Special Education teacher in the Bakersfield City Schools before retiring in 1989. She was named "Outstanding Teacher of the Year" and "Church Layman of the Year" by the Bakersfield Council of Churches. For two years, they published the "Kern Asian Pacific American" (KAPA) monthly newsletter to promote "better human relations, awareness and involvement" among Asian Americans in ther Bakersfield area. Both are committee and board members of the Florin JACL, United Methodist Church and CSUS Japanese American Archival Collection Advisory Committee.

In December, 1992, they moved to Sacramento to be near their son Ken, his wife Lesley, and sons Daniel, Kevin and Jacob. Daughter Susanna, husband Rick Minard and Alden live in Washington, D.C., and daughter Bonita, husband Joh Hussey and Marisa live in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

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