Densho
Densho is a Japanese term meaning "to pass on to the next generation." The legacy we offer is an American story with continuing relevance.
Using digital technology, Densho provides access to personal testimonies, historic photographs and documents, an online encyclopedia, and teacher resources to explore principles of democracy and promote justice. We seek to educate students and inspire them to act in defense of liberty and the highest values of our country.
Densho presents a thorough accounting of what happened to Japanese Americans during a time of war. In doing so, we hope to contribute to current debates about civil liberties during times of national emergency.
We believe that citizens and residents equipped with knowledge of the human costs and consequences of civil rights violations for the few are better equipped to protect the civil rights of all.
Family life before World War II - Gene Akutsu
Memory of her experience on the M.S. Gripsholm - Marion Tsutakawa Kanemoto
Remembering Resistance: Sustaining Densho's Commitment to Community History
Receiving the redress check and apology - Harvey Watanabe
Reflections on the CWRIC Hearings - Kathy Nishimoto Masaoka
Reopening Fred Korematsu’s WWII court case - Don Tamaki
Reuniting with father in Crystal City - Mako Nakagawa
Establishing a small farming community in Arkansas - Marian Shingu Sata
How to Search the Densho Digital Repository
Receiving guilty verdict for an act of civil disobedience - Gordon Hirabayashi
"Voluntary evacuation" from Los Angeles to Colorado - Harry K. Yoshikawa
Bittersweet feelings about receiving redress - Rae Takekawa
Lunch & Learn: The Digital Library of Japanese American Incarceration Films
Together in Manzanar: A conversation with Tracy Slater and Brian Niiya
Being called a "dirty Jap" after Pearl Harbor - Rudy Tokiwa
Reflections on the Aftermath of September 11, 2001
The importance of Asian American media - Robert Nakamura
Answering "no no" on the loyalty questionnaire - Taneyuki Dan Harada
History Keeper Hour: Densho Internship Roundtable
Teaching Japanese American Wartime Incarceration in the Elementary Classroom Webinar
Feeling shock at finding out about mass removal - Yae Wada
Getting Lost at Santa Anita - Kanji Sahara
History Keeper Hour: Family History Program Spotlight: Rediscovering Our Roots
History Keeper Hour: Collections Spotlight: Featuring Densho’s NEW BookDrive
Facing the Mountain: Virtual Book Launch Event (May 11, 2021)
Experiencing discrimination in restaurants - May Ota Higa
Surviving Sexual Assault in Camp - Marion Masada
Being discharged from the Hawai’i Territorial Guard - Ted Tsukiyama