Research
Susan loves historical research: the hunt for sources, the detective work to chase down details, the delight (and dismay) in the discoveries, the alchemy of analysis, the gratification in sharing new knowledge.
Read about some of her research:
Ireichō Assembly Center Names
The Ireichō pays tribute to the WWII incarcerated persons of Japanese ancestry by presenting their names in a ceremonial book. Surviving incarcerees, their relatives, friends, and community members have been honoring the individual incarcerees by placing a Japanese “hon” stamp underneath their names, symbolically restoring their identity that was unconstitutionally stripped from them by the wartime government actions.
To support the goal that the Ireichō book and its addenda be as complete a list of possible of all those who were incarcerated, Susan created a methodology to identify person who were detained in the temporary Assembly Centers but who did not continue in detention in a WRA or other long-term camp. She searched through original documents, microfilm and digitized records in the National Archives, the Hoover Institution, Densho, and the Japanese American National Museum. As a result of her research, hundreds of additional names have been added to the Ireichō. Read this Ancestry.com blogpost about this research.
The Ireichō is now on a national tour with the goal that every name is stamped over the next two years.
Ireichō Voluntary Evacuee Names
In March 1942 individuals who were under the military orders to leave the west coast could “voluntarily evacuate” to areas outside of the exclusion zones, thereby avoiding government detention.
Approximately 5, 000 persons of Japanese ancestry are estimated to have traveled east, many to Utah, Colorado, and areas in the Midwest and the east coast. They faced challenges that were different from, but also very difficult, from those who were in camp. Although these so-called “voluntary evacuees” were not incarcerated, they were considered eligible for redress payments under the Civil Liberties Act of 1988.
Having focused on compiling a list of those who were incarcerated in a government detention center, The Irei Project is now endeavoring to create a list of the voluntary evacuees to the greatest extent possible. Susan is currently investigating sources of possible information.
Family History
Since she was a high school student, Susan has been compiling details about the lives of her grandparents who immigrated from Japan and created new lives in America. Their immigrant stories have informed and infused her writing and teaching, and her audiences often say how meaningful they find these stories to be. She is always glad to hear that sharing these stories motivates others to learn more about their own family history.
She has also had the priority of obtaining information about her ancestors in Japan. With the support of dedicated genealogists who specialize in accessing and translating “koseki” family records, Susan has traced all four of her grandparents’ lineages back a number of generations. Her paternal grandfather’s line goes back to the 1700s!
One of Susan’s mottos is “okagasamade”: thanks to you, I am. She is grateful for her ancestors and deceased family members, whom she believes are guardian angels for her and her living family.