8.+Japanese+American+Citizens+League+(JACL)

Elizabeth Kerian U.S. History II   October 22, 2008 Hello Mr. President, My name is Mary Tsukamoto and I am a Japanese American and mother of one child of the Sansei or third generation of Japanese in the United States. I was born on June 18, 1915 and was 26 in March of 1942, when my husband and I as well as our newborn daughter were relocated from our comfortable home in California to an Internment camp in Colorado (Danzer et al. 594; “Japanese” 1). During the 2 years we were imprisoned there, there was no one to care for our business or pay our bills therefore we lost everything. Shortly after we were finally released, my husband passed away because he simply couldn’t handle starting over when we worked so hard and got so far the first time (“Japanese” 3). I know the **Japanese American Citizens League (JACL)** has been fighting in Washington since the 1970’s for reparations for all that was lost in our relocation, and made an official request in 1978 for $25,000 for each Japanese family that was relocated (“Japanese American” 1). But I don’t understand why it took the government until 1988 to respond to the JACL and pass a bill to pay back what we lost. And until today, March 17, 1990, for all of us to finally actually receive checks, even if they are only for $20,000, when most of us are like me and now 74 or older so the are of very little use to us now (Danzer et al. 595; “Japanese American” 1). You may not be aware of this, but this small check is not only too little to pay for all of my family’s losses during our terrible stay at the internment camp, but it is also much too late to repay my husband and save his life. No amount of money can ever make up for his death which I guess this check is supposed to do. I am very disappointed in my American government and if you are wondering as to the purpose of this letter, I want to make sure that this will never have to happen to anyone else in the future of the United States or in the future of the world. This was a terrible and unconstitutional act on American citizens and should never again be allowed to happen. Sincerely, Mary Tsukamoto



Danzer, Gerald A., et al. __The Americans Reconstruction to the 21st Century__. Evanston: Mcdougal Littell, 2003. “Japanese American Citizens League.” __American History__. 2008. ABC-CLIO. Hunterdon Central Regional High School. 20 Oct. 2008. “The Japanese Internment: World War II (Overview).” __American History__. 2008. ABC-CLIO. Hunterdon Central Regional High School. 20 Oct. 2008.