Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston
Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston
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Full Name and Common Aliases
Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston is a Japanese-American writer, educator, and activist, best known for her autobiographical novel _Farewell to Manzanar_. Her full name, Jeanne Wakatsuki, reflects her heritage as a Nisei (second-generation Japanese American), while her married name, Houston, highlights her connection to her husband's cultural background.
Birth and Death Dates
Jeanne Wakatsuki was born on October 17, 1934. Unfortunately, I could not verify a death date for this individual.
Nationality and Profession(s)
Wakatsuki Houston holds dual Japanese-American citizenship and has worked as an educator, writer, and activist throughout her career. Her experiences during World War II and the subsequent internment of Japanese Americans deeply influenced her writing and advocacy work.
Early Life and Background
Jeanne Wakatsuki was born in Berkeley, California, to a family of modest means. Her father, Bill Wakatsuki, worked as an English teacher at the University of California, Berkeley, while her mother, Betty Wakatsuki, managed a small household. Growing up in a culturally rich environment, Jeanne and her siblings learned traditional Japanese customs, music, and language from their parents.
In 1942, when Jeanne was eight years old, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066, mandating the forced relocation of over 120,000 people of Japanese descent to internment camps during World War II. The Wakatsuki family was forcibly relocated to the Manzanar War Relocation Center in California's Owens Valley.
Major Accomplishments
Wakatsuki Houston's experiences at Manzanar had a profound impact on her life and writing. Her autobiographical novel, _Farewell to Manzanar_, published in 1973, recounts the struggles of Japanese Americans during World War II and their fight for justice and equality.
Notable Works or Actions
In addition to _Farewell to Manzanar_, Wakatsuki Houston has written several other books, including _Seeds from a Silent Tree: An Anthology by Japanese American Women_ (1982) and _The Legacies of Our Fathers: A Nisei Son's Story_ (2000). Her work has been widely praised for its poignant portrayal of the Japanese American experience during World War II.
Impact and Legacy
Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston's writing has had a significant impact on the way Americans think about their country's history, particularly with regards to the internment of Japanese Americans. Her stories have helped raise awareness about this dark period in American history and have inspired numerous discussions, debates, and advocacy efforts.
In 1988, Congress passed the Civil Liberties Act, which provided reparations to Japanese Americans affected by the internment camps. Wakatsuki Houston's testimony before Congress helped bring attention to the need for justice and compensation for those who suffered during this period.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston is widely quoted and remembered for her courageous storytelling, which sheds light on a painful chapter in American history. Her experiences serve as a powerful reminder of the importance of standing up against injustice, promoting equality, and celebrating diverse cultural backgrounds.
Through her writing, activism, and advocacy work, Wakatsuki Houston has left an indelible mark on American literature and society. Her legacy continues to inspire future generations to confront their own biases and strive for a more inclusive and compassionate world.
Quotes by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston
In the wake of the attacks on the Pentagon and the World Trade Center in New York, described by some as “our new Pearl Harbor,” we saw an unfortunate readiness, on the part of many, to assume that all Americans of Middle Eastern background were suddenly suspect and should somehow be held accountable for these crimes. It was a hauntingly familiar rush to judgment. In the early months of 1942, this is what preceded the unlawful evacuation and internment of 110,000 Americans of Japanese ancestry.
From that day on, pay of me yearned to be invisible. In a way, nothing would have been nicer than for no one to see me. Although I could not have defined it at the Tom me, I felt if attention were drawn to me, people would see what this girl had first responded to. They wouldn’t see me, the would see the slanted – eye face, the Oriental.
When your mother and your father are having a fight, do you want them to kill each other? Or do you just want them to stop fighting?
You cannot deport 110,000 people unless you have stopped seeing individuals.
The reason I want to remember this is because I know we’ll never be able to do it again.
From that day on, pay of me yearned to be invisible. In a way, nothing would have been nicer than for no one to see me. Although I could not have defined it at the Tom me, I felt if attention were drawn to me, people would see what this girl had first responded to. They wouldn't see me, the would see the slanted - eye face, the Oriental.
I instinctively decided that I would prove that I wasn't different, that it should not be odd to hear me speaking English. From that day forward I lived with this double impulse:the urge to disappear and the desperate desire to be accepted
That continuous, unnamed ache I had been living with was precise and definable now. Call it the foretaste of being hated. I knew ahead of time that if someone looked at me with hate, I would have to allow it, to swallow it, because something in me, something about me deserved it.
Now she wanted for me the same thing I thought I wanted. Acceptance, in her eyes, was simply another means for survival.
When your mother and your father are having a fight, do you want them to kill each other? Or do you just want them tostop fighting?