Soldiers Memorial Museum Opens Japanese Tribute Exhibit

Soldiers Memorial Military Museum, operated by the Missouri Historical Society and located in downtown St. Louis, will host the Smithsonian traveling exhibition “Righting a Wrong: Japanese Americans and World War II” opening July 24, 2021. The exhibition examines the complicated history and impact of Executive Order 9066 that led to the incarceration of Japanese Americans following the attack on Pearl Harbor. The exhibit is the second temporary exhibition to be on display on the lower level of Soldiers Memorial, which was renovated to serve as a rotating exhibit gallery as part of the Missouri Historical Society’s $30 million revitalization of Soldiers Memorial and its adjacent Court of Honor, completed in 2018. The lower-level renovations more than doubled the amount of exhibit space previously available at Soldiers Memorial, which also consists of St. Louis in Service East and West galleries located on the main floor. “Righting a Wrong” will remain on view through October 3, 2021. The exhibition will continue touring museums and other cultural organizations through November 2022.

“The Missouri Historical Society is committed to giving locals and out-of-town visitors another reason to return to Soldiers Memorial time and time again,” said Mark Sundlov, Managing Director of Soldiers Memorial. “A key piece of the revitalization of Soldiers Memorial was the renovation of the lower level to serve as space where visitors can regularly see something entirely new. We’re pleased to bring this thought-provoking and relevant traveling exhibit from the Smithsonian to the St. Louis community.”

Embracing themes that are as relevant today as they were nearly 80 years ago, “Righting a Wrong” looks at immigration, prejudice, civil rights, heroism, and what it means to be an American. The exhibition explores the complex history through historical images, personal stories and objects from those incarcerated at the camps. A duffle bag used by the Imada family when they were relocated to the Gila River camp in Arizona reflects the restrictions to bring only what they could carry. Takeo Shirasawa’s 1943 high school diploma from the Poston camp in Arizona exemplifies the experience of thousands of other teens who had to complete their high school education in camps.

Following the attack on Pearl Harbor by Japan on Dec. 7, 1941, President Franklin Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 which sent 75,000 Americans of Japanese ancestry and 45,000 Japanese nationals to incarceration camps. Ten large, barbed wire-enclosed incarceration camps and dozens of other installations were scattered west of the Mississippi, far from their homes from March 1942 to March 1946. Young and old lived crowded together in the hastily built camps, endured poor living conditions, and were under the constant watch of military guards for two and a half years. Meanwhile, brave Japanese American men risked their lives fighting for the United States.

“As part of the Soldiers Memorial stop on the exhibit’s nationwide tour, local connections to this powerful story will be highlighted,” said Mike Venso, Military & Firearms Curator for the Missouri Historical Society. “Despite being thousands of miles away from the front lines of the removal of tens of thousands of Japanese Americans, St. Louis played a pivotal role for many seeking alternatives to the oppressive efforts to “protect” the nation.”

The Soldiers Memorial team is adding a small local component to the Smithsonian traveling exhibit that highlights St. Louis’s connection to this important story, such as Japanese American students, including notable architects Richard Henmi and Gyo Obata, who attended Washington University in order to avoid internment in the camps. Soldiers Memorial will also explore local connections to this story through a variety of public programming that will coincide with the exhibit.

Some 40 years after the executive order, members of the Japanese American community led the nation to confront the wrong it had done. The U.S. Congress formally recognized that the rights of the Japanese American community had been violated and President Reagan signed the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, providing an apology and restitution to the living Japanese Americans who were incarcerated during World War II.

“Righting a Wrong: Japanese Americans and World War II” is on display at Soldiers Memorial Military Museum from July 24, 2021, through October 3, 2021. Admission is free, but advance reservations are required. Visit mohistory.org/welcome-back for more information.

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“Righting a Wrong: Japanese Americans and World War II” was developed by the National Museum of American History and adapted for travel by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service. The national tour received Federal support from the Asian Pacific American Initiatives Pool, administered by the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center, the Terasaki Family Foundation, and C. L. Ehn & Ginger Lew.

The exhibition is based on the exhibit of the same name on view from Feb. 17, 2017, through March 6, 2019, at the National Museum of American History in Washington, DC.

SITES has been sharing the wealth of Smithsonian collections and research programs with millions of people outside Washington, D.C., for more than 65 years. SITES connects Americans to their shared cultural heritage through a wide range of exhibitions about art, science, and history, which are shown wherever people live, work and play.  For exhibition descriptions and tour schedules, visit sites.si.edu.

Soldiers Memorial Military Museum, located in downtown St. Louis, is operated by the Missouri Historical Society. Following a $30 million revitalization, Soldiers Memorial reopened in November 2018 as a state-of-the-art museum that honors military service members, veterans, and their families. Exhibits offer a comprehensive look at American military history through the lens of St. Louis. Soldiers Memorial offers programs and outreach services including special exhibits; tours; theatrical and musical presentations; programs for school classes and youth groups; special events; workshops; and lectures. The revitalization of Soldiers Memorial was paid for by anonymous donors to the Missouri Historical Society. Learn more: mohistory.org/memorial.

 Soldiers Memorial Military Museum, operated by the Missouri Historical Society and located in downtown St. Louis, will host the Smithsonian traveling exhibition “Righting a Wrong: Japanese Americans and World War II” opening July 24, 2021. The exhibition examines the complicated history and impact of Executive Order 9066 that led to the incarceration of Japanese Americans following the attack on Pearl Harbor. The exhibit is the second temporary exhibition to be on display on the lower level of Soldiers Memorial, which was renovated to serve as a rotating exhibit gallery as part of the Missouri Historical Society’s $30 million revitalization of Soldiers Memorial and its adjacent Court of Honor, completed in 2018. The lower-level renovations more than doubled the amount of exhibit space previously available at Soldiers Memorial, which also consists of St. Louis in Service East and West galleries located on the main floor. “Righting a Wrong” will remain on view through October 3, 2021. The exhibition will continue touring museums and other cultural organizations through November 2022.

“The Missouri Historical Society is committed to giving locals and out-of-town visitors another reason to return to Soldiers Memorial time and time again,” said Mark Sundlov, Managing Director of Soldiers Memorial. “A key piece of the revitalization of Soldiers Memorial was the renovation of the lower level to serve as space where visitors can regularly see something entirely new. We’re pleased to bring this thought-provoking and relevant traveling exhibit from the Smithsonian to the St. Louis community.”

Embracing themes that are as relevant today as they were nearly 80 years ago, “Righting a Wrong” looks at immigration, prejudice, civil rights, heroism, and what it means to be an American. The exhibition explores the complex history through historical images, personal stories and objects from those incarcerated at the camps. A duffle bag used by the Imada family when they were relocated to the Gila River camp in Arizona reflects the restrictions to bring only what they could carry. Takeo Shirasawa’s 1943 high school diploma from the Poston camp in Arizona exemplifies the experience of thousands of other teens who had to complete their high school education in camps.

Following the attack on Pearl Harbor by Japan on Dec. 7, 1941, President Franklin Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 which sent 75,000 Americans of Japanese ancestry and 45,000 Japanese nationals to incarceration camps. Ten large, barbed wire-enclosed incarceration camps and dozens of other installations were scattered west of the Mississippi, far from their homes from March 1942 to March 1946. Young and old lived crowded together in the hastily built camps, endured poor living conditions, and were under the constant watch of military guards for two and a half years. Meanwhile, brave Japanese American men risked their lives fighting for the United States.

“As part of the Soldiers Memorial stop on the exhibit’s nationwide tour, local connections to this powerful story will be highlighted,” said Mike Venso, Military & Firearms Curator for the Missouri Historical Society. “Despite being thousands of miles away from the front lines of the removal of tens of thousands of Japanese Americans, St. Louis played a pivotal role for many seeking alternatives to the oppressive efforts to “protect” the nation.”

The Soldiers Memorial team is adding a small local component to the Smithsonian traveling exhibit that highlights St. Louis’s connection to this important story, such as Japanese American students, including notable architects Richard Henmi and Gyo Obata, who attended Washington University in order to avoid internment in the camps. Soldiers Memorial will also explore local connections to this story through a variety of public programming that will coincide with the exhibit.

Some 40 years after the executive order, members of the Japanese American community led the nation to confront the wrong it had done. The U.S. Congress formally recognized that the rights of the Japanese American community had been violated and President Reagan signed the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, providing an apology and restitution to the living Japanese Americans who were incarcerated during World War II.

“Righting a Wrong: Japanese Americans and World War II” is on display at Soldiers Memorial Military Museum from July 24, 2021, through October 3, 2021. Admission is free, but advance reservations are required. Visit mohistory.org/welcome-back for more information.

###

“Righting a Wrong: Japanese Americans and World War II” was developed by the National Museum of American History and adapted for travel by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service. The national tour received Federal support from the Asian Pacific American Initiatives Pool, administered by the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center, the Terasaki Family Foundation, and C. L. Ehn & Ginger Lew.

The exhibition is based on the exhibit of the same name on view from Feb. 17, 2017, through March 6, 2019, at the National Museum of American History in Washington, DC.

SITES has been sharing the wealth of Smithsonian collections and research programs with millions of people outside Washington, D.C., for more than 65 years. SITES connects Americans to their shared cultural heritage through a wide range of exhibitions about art, science, and history, which are shown wherever people live, work and play.  For exhibition descriptions and tour schedules, visit sites.si.edu.

Soldiers Memorial Military Museum, located in downtown St. Louis, is operated by the Missouri Historical Society. Following a $30 million revitalization, Soldiers Memorial reopened in November 2018 as a state-of-the-art museum that honors military service members, veterans, and their families. Exhibits offer a comprehensive look at American military history through the lens of St. Louis. Soldiers Memorial offers programs and outreach services including special exhibits; tours; theatrical and musical presentations; programs for school classes and youth groups; special events; workshops; and lectures. The revitalization of Soldiers Memorial was paid for by anonymous donors to the Missouri Historical Society. Learn more: mohistory.org/memorial.