The Japanese internment camps in the US during World War II are a part of American history that was largely overlooked until about three decades after the war. We’ll discuss a voice that emerged from one of the camps, Manzanar in California. That voice belongs to Jean Wakatsuki Houston, who was born in the US but at the age of seven in 1942 was uprooted with her family and sent to Manzanar.

​We’ll consider how she portrays the humanity of her family and others as they coped with the injustice of the camp. Like Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Farewell to Manzanar opened many eyes to a racist and unjust chapter in American history. We’ll also consider the possible relevance of the book to racial issues today.

Discussion Leaders: Dr. John Getz, Professor Emeritus, Department of English, Xavier University and Dr. Robin Ikegami, Associate Vice-President for Instructional Services, Sacramento City College