Learning from the Past: The Bainbridge Island Origins of Japanese American Exclusion

In March of 1942, 227 Japanese Americans were forcibly removed from their homes on Bainbridge Island by the US Army. Starting with this small community, a national strategy began, with more than 120,000 Japanese American men, women, and children forcibly removed and incarcerated during World War II.

On Wednesday, June 16, 2021 at 7pm, join Third Place Commons for “Let It Not Happen Again: Lessons of the Japanese American Exclusion” to learn more about this critical juncture in our local history.

During the program, speaker Clarence Moriwaki will share the story of Bainbridge Island— the origin point of the Japanese American exclusion — to provide a human, historical account of this national tragedy, and to ask the question, “Are there parallels to what’s happening in America now?”

Moriwaki uses historical images, including historical and current propaganda, to explore the fear, racism, and failure of political leadership that led to these unconstitutional actions during World War II, and why we must not let it happen again.

Moriwaki is the president of the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Community and a founder and former president of the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial Association. Moriwaki has written guest editorials on the subject that have been published nationwide. Moriwaki has served as a spokesperson for administrations including the Clinton Administration, the Office of the Governor, and Congressman Jay Inslee.

Register here for this free, Zoom program.

This program is part of Third Place Commons’ ongoing TPC At Home virtual programming, providing opportunities both to learn and to engage with your community. Coming up are parts two and three of the Commons’ “Going Green” series. On Saturday, June 19th at 11am, it’s “Green Gardening with Master Gardener Julie Yasny,” and on Wednesday, June 30th at 7pm, tune in for “Keep the Cycle Turning: How to be a Savvy Recycler.”

Check the Third Place Commons online calendar for more details on all of these programs plus all the weekly and monthly offerings coming up including book and movie clubs and weekly foreign language conversation groups in German, French, and Spanish.

Third Place Commons – a community supported 501(c)3 nonprofit organization – has been building real community in the heart of Lake Forest Park for over 20 years. In addition to presenting its largest program, the Lake Forest Park Farmers Market, Third Place Commons now also fosters real community in digital space with TPC At Home programs. Learn more at ThirdPlaceCommons.org.