February 17, 2008
Day of Remembrance 2008: Commemorating the signing of Executive Order 9066

The Chicago Japanese American Council, Japanese American Historical Society, Japanese American Citizens League & Japanese American Service Committee present a special screening of: The Cats of Mirikitani featuring Q & A with the Director Linda Hattendorf.

See this award winning film about Jimmy Tsutomu Mirikitani, a Japanese American artist, born in Sacramento, raised in Hiroshima, interned at Tule Lake, and living homeless on the streets of New York City until 9/11 when the filmmaker invites him into her small apartment. In this uncharted landscape, the two navigate the maze of social welfare, seek out family and friends, and research Jimmy’s painful past – finding eerie parallels to events unfolding around them in the present.

Day: Sunday, 17 February 2008 @ 2:00 P.M.
Location: The Chicago History Museum

1601 North Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60614
312-642-4600
www.chicagohistory.org

Screening is free and open to the public.

Ample parking one block north at Clark & LaSalle streets (enter on Stockton Drive)

Download the flyer in PDF format

February 18, 2007
Day of Remembrance: By Order of the President: FDR and the Internment of Japanese Americans, Commemorating the Signing of Executive Order 9066

Dr. Greg Robinson, author of "By Order of the President: FDR and the Internment of Japanese Americans", will give a presentation. There will be book sales before the event and book signings after the event. Refreshments will be served.

Day: February 18, 2007 at 200 p.m.
Location: DeVry University, South Building, 3300 North Campbell, Chicago,  Illinois (free parking is available)

Sponsored by the Chicago Japanese American Council, Chicago Japanese American Historical Society, Japanese American Citizens League and Japanese American Service Committee.

December 7, 2006
Children's Holiday Celebration

CJAHS is participating with the Field Museum Women's Group in their annual Children's Holiday Celebration for Museum members and parents and children from selected inner city schools.

Day: Thursday, December 7, 2006
Location: The Field Museum



November 15, 2006
Teach In: War and Peace

Lara Viscus, the Educational Director of the Chicago Humanities Festival, Maureen Gallagher, author of the play, “Martin Fury's Shot”, Jean Mishima, of the Chicago Japanese American Historical Society, Eric Young, a history teacher at Lincoln Park High School, and a representative from UNICEF will take part in a teach-in. Student performances and presentations will follow, including readings from “Voices in Wartime” by English teacher, Ms. Stinnette, and selected scenes from the play, “Martin Fury's Shot”, by Performing Arts teacher, Mr. Frellick

Day: Wednesday, November 15, 2006, at 6:00.p.m.
Location: Lincoln Park High School, 2001 North Orchard Street, Chicago, Ill 60614.
Free of charge. The public is invited to attend.

November 10, 2006
Educating the Next Generation

Jean Mishima and Chiye Tomohiro will be speaking to a U.S. History class at Lincoln Park High School on the subject of the violation of the civil rights of Japanese-Americans during World War Two.

Day: Saturday, November 10, 2006.
Location: Lincoln Park High School, 2001 North Orchard Street, Chicago, Ill 60614.

October 21, 2006
Different Drummers: Heartbeat of Mother Earth and Rolling Thunder of Identity (Cultural Connections Event)

What: While culture is always changing, some customs persist in their traditional form more than others. To explain this phenomenon, members of the American Indian and Japanese American communities in Chicago will demonstrate how contemporary Powwow drumming stresses continuity with the past, while ensemble Taiko drumming is an invention of the post-World War II era. Come learn how these two communities use drumming to teach different values and beliefs about identify, gender, and intergenerational relationships. (Source: Fall 2006 Cultural Connections brochure) Chicago’s prolific artist Tatsu Aoki will demonstrate the art of Taiko drumming to explain the Japanese way of teaching.
When: Saturday, October 21, from 11:30am – 2 pm
Where: American Indian Center, 1630 W. Wilson Avenue
Fee: General admission is $15, teachers/students and seniors $10. Children under 12 are always admitted for free.

For more information, call: 312-665-7474 or e-mail ccuc@fmnh.org

* Teachers can receive 2.5 CPDUs as approved by the Illinois State Board of Education.

Silk Road Chicago: Summer 2006

CJAHS will participate in the Silk Road Chicago: Summer 2006. A summer-long citywide calendar of events from June through September in music, theater, dance, visual and culinary arts, and etc. Silk Road Chicago: Summer 2006 is part of Silk Road Chicago Celebration, a year-long celebration of the Silk Road Project initiated by Yo Yo Ma, an internationally-acclaimed cellist.

What: CJAHS will host a cultural presentation for the Silk Road Project
When: Thursday, June 1 at 12:00 – 2:00 p.m.
             Tuesday, June 25 at 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Where: Chicago Tourism Center, 72 E. Randolph, which is converted into the Silk Road Oasis during the summer.



June 11, 2006
Meet with the author of “The Art of Gaman: Arts and Crafts from the Japanese American Internment Camps, 1942 to 1945”

Please join us for a presentation by Delphine Hirasuna on her book The Art of Gaman: Arts and Crafts from the Japanese American Internment Camps, 1942-1945. The author will show slides and discuss the making of this remarkable collection, which Publishers Weekly called “moving” and “exceptional,” and which Booklist described as “testimony to human character, courage, and irrepressible creativity.”

What: Meet with Delphine Hirasuna, author of “The Art of Gaman”
When: Sunday, June 11 at 2:00 p.m.
Where: DeVry University, 3300 N. Campbell, Chicago, IL 60618 (parking is available on the campus)
The event is free and open to the public; refreshments will be served.

March 18, 2006
Cultural Connections program: Theme for 2005-2006: The Language of Looks

As participating organizations of the Field Museums’ Cultural Connections program, CJAHS and Indo-American Center co-sponsor a Cultural Connections event entitled “Mirror, Mirror on the Wall… How Am I Perceived by All?”
The theme for the 2005-2006 program is “The Language of Looks.” Together with participants, the two groups explore answers to questions such as below:
“ How do the dynamics of generational norms, immigration, heritage, and society impact the attire choices we make when we get ready to face the world both on a daily basis and when dressing for special occasions?” “We will explore how these dilemmas are faced by individuals from the Asian-Indian American and Japanese American communities of Chicago.” “Along the way, we will learn about forms of traditional clothing – such as saris and kimonos – and explore when and in what forms individual from these two communities might choose to wear them today.”

When: Saturday, March 18, 2006, 11:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. or 3:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Where: Indo-American Center
6328 N. California Ave.
Chicago, IL 60659

For more information, call: 312-665-7474 or e-mail ccuc@fmnh.org

* Teachers can receive 2.5 CPDUs as approved by the Illinois State Board of Education.


April 2, 2006
Film screening of "Only the Brave" (2005)

" Only the Brave," a film by Hawaiian-born filmmaker Lane Nishikawa, depicts the heroic story of the 100th Battalion/442nd Regimental Combat Team, two U.S. Army units with Nisei soldiers and white officers who fought for the U.S. during World War II. The film underscores the Japanese American soldiers' courage during their rescue of the "Lost Battalion" in the French Vosges Mountains while facing entrenched Nazi forces. The soldiers saved more than 200 men at the cost of 800 casualties.

When: Sunday, April 2, 2006 from 3:00 p.m.
Where: Gene Siskel Film Center at 164 North State Street, downtown Chicago.
Fee: $30 including a ticket and a reception. Light refreshments will be served.

* Following the screening, the reception will feature Lane Nishikawa with a Questions and Answers session.

To purchase tickets, please contact the Chicago Japanese American Historical Society (847-998-8101), Japanese American Citizens League (773-412-4672) and Japanese American Service Committee (224-405-1743).