The Japanese American Historical Society of Southern California sponsors “70 Years Since E0 9066: ‘No-No Boys’ and Renunciants: Loyal or Disloyal?” on Saturday, Oct. 27, at 1 p.m. at the Katy Geissert Civic Center Library, 3301 Torrance Blvd., Torrance.
A sequel to a program held on Nov. 7, 2009, the program will continue the dialogue on the renunciants and “no-no boys” of World War II.
“Though 70 years have passed, the renunciants and no-nos have had to endure the stigma of the labels ‘disloyal’ and ‘troublemaker’ and have had to live in the shadows without telling their stories,” JAHSSC said in a statement. “This forum will allow them to tell their stories. Others in the community need to hear those stories and allow for redemption and healing for these individuals and for the community as a whole.
“The hostility and finger-pointing among Japanese Americans in the camps were caused by the U.S. government’s creation of an untenable situation in which Japanese Americans faced the burden of ‘proving their loyalty,’ when it was the government’s responsibility to prove their ‘disloyalty’ ….
“We — our community and our country — need to hear and analyze the complete story of the incarceration with all of its nuances and ramifications in order to arrive at the clearest and fullest lessons about the incarceration. If not, much of the ‘lessons learned’ will continue to hinge upon stereotypes and skewed narratives about the experience.”
The event is free and open to the public. For more details, contact Richard Katsuda at rkatsuda@lausd.net.