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The Long Journey Home (ceremonial event)

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Japanese American graduating class of 2008

The Long Journey Home was a ceremonial event held at the main campus of the University of Washington on May 18, 2008 commemorating the Japanese American students that attended the school from 1941 to 1942 whom of which were prevented from receiving an education at the university due to Executive Order 9066 which called for all Japanese Americans to be removed from their private residences and to be sent to internment camps along the western portion of the United States. For nearly seventy years, the Japanese Americans unable to return to the university, due to personal circumstances whether they attended an alternate university or were forced to end their college career early due to financial reasons, to complete their education were unable to be recognized for the time, effort, and the hardships they were faced while attending the university. In order to recognize the Japanese American students affected by the government's decision, the University of Washington carried out a ceremony "to honor the students and to educate current and future generations about the grievous national tragedy" by incorporating guest speakers and video memoirs while the students honored at the days ceremony were given honorary degrees from the University of Washington.

Location and Time

The Long Journey Home was held at the main campus of the University of Washington inside rooms 120 and 130 of Kane Hall. In regards to the date and time, the ceremony was held on May 18th, 2008 and was scheduled to last from 1:00 pm - 3:30 pm Pacific Standard Time.

Agenda

Although the ceremony did not officially begin until two o'clock, group photographs were taken of the honorees in front of the campus' Suzzallo Library at approximately one o'clock. The recognition ceremony began at two o'clock in Kane Hall beginning with the entrance of the university regents. The president of the University of Washington, Mark Emmert presided over the event and gave a speech on the significance of this event as well as his personal perspective of the internment. Emmert was followed by several other speakers whom of which included Norman Mineta, Gail Nomura, and Tetsuden Kashima. A video memoir was shown prior to the "presentation of the honorary degrees" which included personal accounts of University of Washington students of the internment and its affect on their time at the university as well as their personal opinions of "The Long Journey Home" regarding its closure to the "long journey" the Japanese endured.

References

  • The Long Journey Home: Honoring UW Nikkei Students of 1941-1942 . Retrieved July 31, 2008, from UW Alumni Association Web site: https://go.washington.edu/uwaa/events/200805nikkei_graduation/details.tcl
  • (2008, May, 17). ‘The Long Journey Home’ is finally here. Northwest Asian Weekly, Retrieved July 29th, 2008, from http://www.nwasianweekly.com/2008270021/editor20082721.htm
  • Hinchliff, Catherine (July 23, 2008). "University of Washington honors Japanese American students of World War II on May 18, 2008". HistoryLink.org.
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