National Japanese American Memorial



The National Japanese American Memorial is a multi-faceted memorial that recognizes the courage, loyalty, and sacrifices of Japanese Americans during World War II.  On February 19, 1942 President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066.  This executive order authorized the federal government to remove approximately 120,000 men, women, and children of Japanese ethnicity from their homes and subsequently bring them to detection camps enclosed by barbed wires.  The names of the detention camps and the number of people confined in each camp are inscribed on the walls of the memorial.

The Japanese American Memorial also exists as a reminder of the American government’s mistake of discriminating against citizens based on their ethnicity.  This memorial also pays tribute to the 30,000 Japanese American men and women who served in the American military forces during World War II.  The names of more than 800 Japanese American men who died in combat during World War II are engraved on the memorial.

The following quote from President Harry S. Truman is engraved on the memorial: “You fought not only the enemy, but you fought prejudice – and you won.  Keep up that fight, and we will continue to win – to make this great republic stand for just what the Constitution says it stands for: the welfare of all the people all of the time.”

The Japanese American Memorial was unveiled in 2001 and is located in Washington, D.C. at the intersection of Louisiana and New Jersey Avenues.

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