Day of Remembrance Reflection

BY JOHN HAYASHI

Guest Blogger
Monday, February 25, 2013

To me, the Day of Remembrance is about reflection on history, family, and what it means to be American. I'm sure we will do this through watching the movie, talking with each other, and maybe just stray thoughts that strike us walking around campus. But I'd like to suggest another way. As an SML employee I'm proud to share a database of internment camp newspapers. There are thousands and thousands of pages here, all voices of internees. You can search for specific terms or browse freely. It was through a combination of two that I found a snippet about my grandfather pitching for a camp baseball team:


When he was interned, my grandfather Teruo "Terry" Hayashi was a 21-year-old college junior--just like I am now. 61 years ago, he had to suddenly leave college and join his family at Tule Lake War Relocation Center. He got out a year later to continue college out East, but his father--my grandfather--died in camp in 1944. In photographs and memory I always see my grandfather as an old man, wizened by cancer and a long life. But at 21, living in shoddy barracks in the California desert, he was a great pitcher.

Most of you reading this don't have relatives who were interned. You may not be Japanese or American at all. But I really do think there's something meaningful for everyone in listening to voices from the camp. Finally, in case the above link doesn't work, you can also access the database through the relevant library study guide.


John Hayashi is currently a junior in Branford College.


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