Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: grandparents never talked about their incarceration experiences.One of Harry's and Chika's grandsons, Roy Satoh, noted that he learned most of the details of his family's wartime ordeal only after his grandparents had died, by discovering family letters and documents and by talking with family friends.Post-incarceration, sometimes Nisei would deemphasize their Japanese heritage in hope of blending into mainstream society (Nagata et al., 2019).Nonetheless, opportunities to join other Japanese Americans in cultural, social and educational events also served as ways to generate pride and serve as source of support and healing (Nagata et al., 2019).The Yamauchi grandchildren mentioned that their parents and grandparents emphasized assimilation in some instances and the retention of traditional Japanese culture and language in other instances.Harry Yamauchi started a Japanese language school for his grandchildren and other youth in the basement of a building he had purchased.He also painted a mural on the wall of the building and organized Japanese cultural events, so his grandchildren would know Japanese language and culture. Concluding ThoughtsWe have provided an example of how we teach about racial trauma using oral histories.Instructors can modify our approach to meet the needs and interests of the students in their own classes.In addition to the previously discussed lessons that may be learned about racial trauma in the past, students likely will make connections to the challenges of facing injustice in the present day.Without doubt, the need to look at how aggregate sociocultural phenomena shape lives is ongoing (Nagata et al., 2019).Educators must avoid the pathways to racism provided by ignorance, denial, and inaction (Nelson, Adams & Salter, 2013;Roberts & Rizzo, 2021;Tatum, 1997).This includes our role in the classroom.By using oral histories to make space and literally give voice to the lived experiences of people who have encountered marginalization, we can facilitate a deeper understanding of the racial trauma and healing experienced by individuals and families in the past and present.❖
DOI: 10.1002/ntlf.30417
Author: Rebecca Weaver
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W4403245267