By ROBERT M. HORSTING

In offering to help Judge Roberta Hayashi of the Santa Clara County Superior Court to organize the public outreach for the upcoming Korematsu Day events in San Jose, then Santa Clara County prosecutor Johnny Gogo opened a new world of discovery.

Having heard the policy history and personal stories as told by Dr. Karen Korematsu (Fred Korematsu’s daughter), civil rights attorney Dale Minami and Judge Hayashi, Gogo was inspired to find a way to honor the families and share the memories of the Japanese and Japanese Americans who experienced incarceration in the War Relocation Authority (WRA) camps during World War II.

His initial concept in buying a 48-star flag was that local families would come to sign it, listing their names and the camp(s) where they were imprisoned. Thinking this effort was a local one-off project, he was surprised by the community response. Gogo recalled people stating that their family members in other towns would appreciate being able to join this effort of honoring their family legacies.

This local project grew to nationwide scale, out of the interest by other Japanese Americans to share their family involvement in this dark moment of U.S. civil rights history. That first flag-signing effort in 2021 has now grown to include ten flags.

Now a judge of the Santa Clara County Superior Court, Gogo has traveled to the ten WRA camp sites: Manzanar and Tule Lake in California, Poston (I, II and III) and Gila River in Arizona, Topaz in Utah, Minidoka in Idaho, Heart Mountain in Wyoming, Granada (Amache) in Colorado, Jerome and Rohwer in Arkansas. In all, he has traveled to over 25 cities, including McGehee, Ark., and most recently, Twin Falls, Idaho.

While all family members are invited to sign along the flag’s broad red and white stripes, the stars are reserved for those World War II veterans who volunteered or were drafted into U.S. military service, even though their nation questioned their loyalty while denying them their freedom as American citizens.

Discussing her view of the resulting benefits, Judge Hayashi said, “It provided a way to bring people together to honor our elders, to have respect for our Asian American heritage, and to educate.”

Judge Gogo’s project has offered another avenue of recognition in sharing the Japanese American World War II experience through these signing events and his sharing of stories with the general public. Signing the flags has also provided the chance to soothe a wound many didn’t realize they were carrying until they came face-to-face with this opportunity and released the emotions drawn out by this simple act.

Reflecting on his experience, Gogo stated, “It’s been an incredible journey to meet so many camp survivors and hear their own unique and personal stories.”

Keeping in mind the service of the World War II veterans and the challenge of the 120,000 people of Japanese heritage to emerge from these camps, he said, “I’m in awe of their resiliency and their loyalty to this nation.” 

Los Angeles-based filmmaker George Wada has recorded an overview of this project, following Gogo to various cities for a documentary titled “Honor, Recognition, and Respect.”

Following is the list of donation sites or proposed sites of the current ten flags:

1) Japanese American Museum of San Jose (jamsj.org)

2) Japanese American National Museum (janm.org)

3) Fred Korematsu Institute (korematsuinstitute.org)

4) Japanese American Museum of Oregon (jamo.org)

5) California Museum (californiamuseum.org)

6) Traveling to pilgrimages, donation site to be determined

7) Santa Clara University (scu.edu)

8) Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum (fdrlibrary.org)

9) Nisei Veterans Committee Memorial Hall (nvcfoundation.org)

10) San Jose (will be donated locally)

In considering the future, Gogo mentioned that camp family members have contacted him, wanting to donate 48-star flags to this project. This support might make it feasible to provide flags to be signed for each of the camp pilgrimages.

If you’re interested in donating a flag, contact Gogo at: [email protected]. The dimensions suitable for this project should be a minimum of 3’x6′.

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