Day of Remembrance: Marysville's Japanese American Citizens League gears up for annual educational programming

Feb. 13—Marysville's Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) will be hosting its annual Day of Remembrance programming at Ettl Hall on Sunday from 1-3 p.m., located behind the Sutter County Museum in Yuba City.

The Day of Remembrance is meant to educate the public on the effects of Executive Order 9066 on the Japanese-American community when President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed it into action on Feb. 19, 1942. This order gave the U.S. Army the authority to remove civilians from military zones established in Washington, Oregon, and California during World War II.

This led to the forced removal and incarceration of some 120,000 Americans of Japanese ancestry living on the West Coast. These citizens were then sent to one of 10 concentration camps scattered in desolate regions of the country, resulting in the loss of their homes, jobs, and established lives.

"Marysville JACL would like to thank Molly Bloom and the staff of the Sutter County Museum for once again hosting the annual Day of Remembrance and providing us with the opportunity to educate others on the fragility of civil liberties in times of crisis, and the importance of remaining vigilant in protecting the rights and freedoms of all," said Richard Arent, an event organizer and member of JACL.

This year's programming is also meant to honor the memory of Roy Hatamiya, who passed away last November.

"It was through Roy's determination that the Arboga Memorial became a reality," said Arent. "Yuba Sutter Arts, working with Marysville JACL, was able to bring together numerous segments of the community to realize Roy's dream."

The Arboga Assembly Center, located off Broadway Street in Olivehurst, now serves as a historic memorial commemorating the place where Japanese Americans were incarcerated during World War Il prior to their families being moved to more permanent internment camps. Guests are encouraged to visit this site following the Day of Remembrance presentations.

Walter Masuda, retired dean of arts, humanities and education at Yuba College, will be introducing this year's Day of Remembrance programming. Organizers have chosen to focus on internment camp life with a short film and stories from Etsuko "Etchi" Haegele, whose family experienced this firsthand.

"It is a reminder of a time when fear swept the entire West Coast, including Canada, during WWII," said Haegele. "A time in 1944 when the U.S. Supreme Court, in a 6-3 decision, upheld the removal order imposed on Japanese Americans in Fred Korematsu v. United States. The majority accepted the government's claim that this was a matter of 'military urgency.' As it was later revealed, there was no evidence that the Japanese Americans were disloyal or acting as spies or signaling enemy submarines."

Following a question-and-answer session, David Read, Yuba Sutter Arts & Culture's executive director, will speak more on how the Arboga Memorial site became a reality.

Also on display at Ettl Hall will be wartime relocation posters and photographs taken at Arboga when the camp was opened in 1942 with copies of forms for the disposition of personal property and automobiles. To learn more about this historic event and location, visit the Japanese American Citizens League's website at marysvillejacl.org.

Ettl Hall is located behind the Sutter County Museum at 1333 Butte House Rd. in Yuba City. For more information, call 530-822-7141 or visit suttercountymuseum.org.