Historian Barbara Johns Discusses 'The Hope Of Another Spring' At The Seattle Public Library Sept. 13
release date: September 7, 2017
Art historian Barbara Johns will give a presentation on Takuichi Fujii, a Japanese artist who lived in Seattle and was incarcerated during World War II, followed by a conversation with Densho's Tom Ikeda from 7 p.m. to 8:10 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 13 at the Central Library, 1000 Fourth Ave., Level 1, Microsoft Auditorium, 206-386-4636 .
Library events are free and open to the public. Registration is not required. Parking is available in the Central Library garage for $6 after 5 p.m.
Johns will present Fujii's life story and his artistic achievements within the social and political context of the time. Takuichi Fujii (1891-1964) left Japan in 1906 to make his home in Seattle, where he established a business, started a family and began his artistic practice. When war broke out between the United States and Japan, he and his family were incarcerated along with the more than 100,000 ethnic Japanese located on the West Coast. Sent to detention camps at Puyallup, Washington, and then Minidoka in Idaho, Fujii documented his daily experiences in words and art.
"The Hope of Another Spring" reveals the rare find of a large and heretofore unknown collection of art produced during World War II. The centerpiece of the collection is Fujii's illustrated diary that historian Roger Daniels has called the most remarkable document created by a Japanese-American prisoner during the wartime incarceration. Sandy Kita, the artist's grandson, provides translations and an introduction to the diary.
Johns is a Seattle-based art historian and curator. She is the author of "Signs of Home: The Paintings and Wartime Diary of Kamekichi Tokita."
Ikeda is the founding executive director of Densho. He is a Sansei (third generation Japanese-American) who was born and raised in Seattle. Ikeda's parents and grandparents were incarcerated during World War II at Minidoka, Idaho. In addition to leading Densho for the past 20 years, Ikeda has conducted over 220 video-recorded, oral history interviews with Japanese Americans. He has received numerous awards for his historical contributions, including the Microsoft Alumni Foundation Integral Fellows Award and the Humanities Washington Award for outstanding achievement in the public humanities.
Densho's mission is to preserve the testimonies of Japanese-Americans who were unjustly incarcerated during World War II. It offers firsthand accounts, coupled with historical images and teacher resources, to explore principles of democracy and promote equal justice for all.
This event is supported by The Seattle Public Library Foundation, author series sponsor Gary Kunis, media sponsor The Seattle Times and presented in partnership with Elliott Bay Book Company. Books will be available for purchase and signing.