A Man and His Grandson at Manzanar
20 X 24
I painted this from a black and white photo by Dorothea Lange of a man and his grandson at the Manzanar Relocation Center, Manzanar, California. Relocated by the War Relocation Authority (WRA) with other Japanese Americans beginning in early 1942 after the attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941.
Dorothea Lange was hired by the government to photograph the relocation process and life in the detainment centers. Many of the images were marked censored and placed in the National Archives but have recently been released. Many can be seen online. A history of Lange's work and many of her images of the Internment can be seen in Impounded.
Learn more - Japanese American internment
Note: Canada had a similar policy
I read this poem on a wall in the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington DC, it seemed appropriate here.
When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent; I was not a communist.
When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent; I was not a social democrat.
When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out; I was not a trade unionist.
When they came for the Jews,
I remained silent; I wasn't a Jew.
When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out.
Martin Niemöller
Protestant pastor and social activist
Testifying before the Congressional Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians in 1981, Albert Kurihara said, "I hope this country will never forget what happened, and do what it can to make sure that future generations will never forget."
From the back cover of Impounded.
Paintings by Sally K. Green
Reproduction or use is by permission only - please contact me.
© 2008 Sally K. Green