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| About the Japanese American Archival Collection |
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The Japanese American Archival Collection was established 1994, with the donation of personal
papers and teaching materials from Mary Tsukamoto (1915-1998), a prominent Sacramento educator
and civil rights activist. Having been interned at Jerome Concentration Camp with her family
during World War II, Ms. Tsukamoto decided later in life to bring the story of the internment
into classrooms and to community groups, using portable exhibits boards to illustrate her
presentations. The exhibit boards displayed original and duplicated versions of historic
documents and photographs and were used in conjunction with artifacts from the camps as
teaching tools that would help to make this history more relevant and connected to the
lives of students and community members. Through images, letters, stories, crafts, and
clothing, Ms. Tsukamoto told the story of racial injustice, loss of civil liberties, and
the patriotism of Japanese born and Japanese Americans who were interned in American
concentration camps during World War II and engaged her audiences in discussion about
the U.S. Constitution and First Amendment rights.
The Mary Tsukamoto papers were subsequently enhanced by donations from groups, such as the
VFW Nisei Post 8985, as well as many individuals over the years. The collection is comprised
of approximately 2,100 original documents, including letters, photographs, diaries, scrapbooks,
newsletters, art work, clothing and artifacts. The collection provides valuable insights into
the history of Japanese American communities in northern California, particularly in the town of
Florin, California from the late 19th century and into the 20th century. The collection contains
significant documentation related to the internment of Japanese born and Japanese American
individuals during World War II and continues to serve as a valuable resource to a broad range
of users, including scholars, teachers, students, writers, journalists and documentary film producers.
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