On May 14th the Consulate-General of Japan in Houston held a screening of the documentary “The Untold Story of Ralph Carr and the Japanese: Fate of 3 Japanese Americans and the Internment”, which was co-sponsored by Holocaust Museum Houston and the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL). The documentary follows the career of Ralph Carr, Governor of Colorado from 1939 to 1943 and was the leader to publically denounce internment and the strong anti-Japanese sentiment so common of the age.
Consul-General Nozomu Takaoka, also attended and gave his remarks before the film began. He spoke of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s recent address to the joint members of Congress during which he expressed deep repentence and remorse over the war. Consul-General concluded his remarks by commending guests for their efforts to appreciate the powerful message of history in order to further promote democracy and friendship on the occasion of the 70 year anniversary of the end of the second world war (link) .
The screening was accompanied by a short panel discussion which featured three JACL members who each have personal or professional knowledge of Japanese Internment during World War II: Mrs. Lillian Bonner, interned as a child at Manzanar; Dr. Abby Grub, PhD in American history with a concentration in Japanese Americans; Mr. Gary Nakamura, son of internee and army veteran George Nakamura. Dr. Mary Lee Webeck, Director of Education for Holocaust Museum Houston, facilitated the evening for over 80 guests. |
