The Chicago Nisei Before World War II
BY TAKAKO DAY In Japanese American history, Chicago is known as one of the primary urban relocation areas for those who were incarcerated in American concentration camps during World War … Continue reading
Facing Forward: Mixed-Race Japanese Americans in Chicago
BY RYAN MASAAKI YOKOTA “So, one of the questions that mixed people get asked a lot is ‘What are you?’” stated Laura Kina, a Professor at DePaul University, speaking at … Continue reading
2016 Day of Remembrance in Chicago
BY RYAN MASAAKI YOKOTA On February 21, 2016, some 300 members of the Japanese American and broader Chicago community came to the Chicago History Museum in order to attend the … Continue reading
Japanese American Chick Sexers in Chicago
BY RYAN MASAAKI YOKOTA At modern-day 821 North La Salle Street, in the River North neighborhood of Chicago, few people today could possibly imagine that here at this site was … Continue reading
The Japanese Peruvian Community of Chicago
By RYAN MASAAKI YOKOTA On a warm spring day last year, members of the Japanese Peruvian community filled the pews of the Church of Christ Presbyterian in Chicago not for … Continue reading
Op-ed: The Future Started Yesterday
An op-ed commentary describing the challenges for Japanese American non-profit organizations in Chicago, and the need to develop succession planning strategies for the future. Op-ed by BOB KUMAKI When I … Continue reading
Forward Chicago Profile: Toshiko (Tonko) Doi
“Forward Chicago is a grassroots, all-volunteer non-profit that connects neighbors, businesses and local organizations to build a stronger community. Together, we’re creating a neighborhood where people of all ages are … Continue reading
Gaman – Portraits of Chicago Nisei WWII Veterans
Gaman: Portraits of Chicago Nisei World War II Veterans, chronicles the experiences of six Japanese American veterans. After the United States entered World War II, Executive Order 9066 was signed, … Continue reading
The Future of the Past: Digitized Archival Sources on Nikkei Chicago
By ELLEN WU Like just about everything else these days, history has gone high tech. Which is great news for those looking to know more about Chicago’s Japanese Americans, particularly … Continue reading
The Forgotten Story of Japanese American Zoot Suiters
By ELLEN D. WU Sus Kaminaka was a zoot suiter: one of the many young people in 1940s America who embraced a distinctive, working-class urban aesthetic characterized by flamboyant fashions … Continue reading
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