Hear firsthand accounts from five individuals who lived through the Japanese American incarceration.
Lawson Sakai
Lawson Iichiro Sakai (1923–2020) was a distinguished Japanese American soldier who served with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team during World War II, one of the most decorated units in U.S. history. Born in Montebello, California, Sakai and his family moved to Colorado in 1942 to avoid internment. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1943 and participated in key campaigns, including the rescue of the “Lost Battalion” in 1944, earning four Purple Hearts and two Bronze Stars. After the war, Sakai founded the Friends and Family of Nisei Veterans in 2005 to honor Japanese American veterans. He passed away in 2020 at age 96.
George Takei
George Takei, born on April 20, 1937, in Los Angeles, is an actor, civil rights activist, and bestselling author, best known for portraying Lieutenant Sulu in Star Trek. He has appeared in over 40 films and hundreds of TV roles, using his fame to advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and social justice. As a child, Takei and his family were interned in U.S. camps during World War II, which fueled his lifelong commitment to civil rights. His advocacy is deeply personal, shaped by his experience as a Japanese American in the face of discrimination. In 2024, Takei was interviewed by StoryFile.
June Berk
June Aochi Berk, born in 1932, is a Japanese American educator and advocate dedicated to preserving Japanese American history. As a child, she was incarcerated at the Rohwer concentration camp during World War II. In 1954, she became the Nisei Week Queen, highlighting her commitment to Japanese cultural arts. Berk later worked at the Japanese American National Museum and volunteered with several organizations, including the Tuna Canyon Detention Station Legacy Project. Through interviews and public talks, she has ensured the legacy of wartime incarceration and resilience is remembered.
Takashi Hoshizaki
Takashi “Tak” Hoshizaki, born October 3, 1925, is a Japanese American botanist and former World War II draft resister. Born in Los Angeles, his family was forcibly relocated to the Heart Mountain camp, where he resisted the draft in 1944, resulting in his conviction and nearly two years of imprisonment. After being pardoned by President Truman in 1947, he earned a doctorate in botanical science from UCLA. Hoshizaki had a distinguished career at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and became an advocate for Japanese American draft resisters through the Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation. In April 2024, he was honored with the Douglas W. Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award.
Mary Murakami
Mary Murakami was a Japanese American who, at 14, was interned with her family at the Topaz Internment Camp in Utah during World War II. Despite the hardships, she became a public health trailblazer and an advocate for equality. In her later years, she shared her experiences to educate others about the injustices faced by Japanese Americans during the war.