Stockton reflects on wwii internment camp's dark past

A day of somber reflection took place at the San Joaquin County Fairgrounds in Stockton, California, where a World War II detention center once housed thousands of Japanese Americans. The event, organized by community group Okagesama, aimed to right a historical wrong.

Evacuation and internment

During the height of WWII, President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Executive Order 9066 paved the way for the detention and internment of Japanese Americans, regardless of their citizenship or loyalty. For San Joaquin County alone, an estimated 4,200 individuals were held at the Stockton Assembly Center before being sent to larger internment camps.

Allyson Aranda, whose grandparents were among those affected, expressed a mix of emotions. 'It's heartwarming to see everyone come together, but also infuriating to think about what happened,' she said, her voice tinged with indignation.

A community's story

Susan Wong shared her family's personal tale, revealing how her father had to rush to sell land along the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta when the evacuation orders arrived. Wong's parents even tied the knot at the Stockton Assembly Center, a poignant reminder of the tumultuous times.

'It's painful for me to think about the pain they went through,' Wong admitted. 'But sharing our story can help prevent history from repeating itself – it's not just the Japanese Americans' story, it's every minority's.'

Today, Okagesama works to restore the former detention site and transform it into a Japanese American interpretive center. Their efforts serve as a powerful reminder of the darker chapters in America's past, and a call to action for a more inclusive tomorrow.