Grayce Uyehara, née Kaneda, (July 4, 1919 – June 22, 2014) was a
Japanese-American
are Americans of Japanese ancestry. Japanese Americans were among the three largest Asian American ethnic communities during the 20th century; but, according to the 2000 census, they have declined in number to constitute the sixth largest Asia ...
social worker and activist who led the campaign for a formal government apology for
Japanese-American internment
are Americans of Japanese people, Japanese ancestry. Japanese Americans were among the three largest Asian Americans, Asian American ethnic communities during the 20th century; but, according to the 2000 United States census, 2000 census, they ...
during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
.
Early life
Born ''Grayce Ritsu Kaneda'' in
Stockton, California
Stockton is a city in and the county seat of San Joaquin County, California, San Joaquin County in the Central Valley (California), Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. Stockton was founded by Carlos Maria Weber in 1849 after he acquir ...
, Uyehara was the second of seven children and part of the ''
nisei
is a Japanese-language term used in countries in North America and South America to specify the ethnically Japanese children born in the new country to Japanese-born immigrants (who are called ). The are considered the second generation, ...
'' generation. She was a student at the
University of the Pacific, majoring in music, when she and her family were imprisoned in the
Rohwer internment camp in Arkansas after the signing of
Executive Order 9066
Executive Order 9066 was a United States presidential executive order signed and issued during World War II by United States president Franklin D. Roosevelt on February 19, 1942. This order authorized the secretary of war to prescribe certain ...
.
After securing her release through a program allowing some internees to attend college, Uyehara moved to Minnesota and studied at
St. Cloud State Teachers College, now
St. Cloud State University.
She then moved to
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
and married a fellow former internee, Hiroshi Uyehara. While living in
West Chester, Pennsylvania
West Chester is a borough and the county seat of Chester County, Pennsylvania. Located within the Philadelphia metropolitan area, the borough had a population of 18,461 at the 2010 census. West Chester is the mailing address for most of its neighb ...
, the Uyeharas organized the Philadelphia chapter of the
Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), where Grayce became one of its first women leaders nationwide.
Career
While an activist, Uyehara worked as a
social worker. After her retirement, she volunteered as national director of the Legislative Education Committee, the JACL's lobbying arm.
Their efforts led to President
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan ( ; February 6, 1911June 5, 2004) was an American politician, actor, and union leader who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He also served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 ...
's signing of the
Civil Liberties Act of 1988
The Civil Liberties Act of 1988 (, title I, August 10, 1988, , et seq.) is a United States federal law that granted reparations to Japanese Americans who had been wrongly interned by the United States government during World War II. The act was ...
, which issued a formal apology for internment and provided reparations for former internees.
She then chaired the JACL Legacy Fund campaign, which raised over $5 million to support other JACL programs. In 2014, she was honored by Asian Americans United with its Standing Up For Justice Award.
Death
After a brief illness at Virtua Memorial Hospital in
Mount Holly, New Jersey
Mount Holly is a township that is the county seat of Burlington County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is an eastern suburb of Philadelphia, the nation's sixth largest city as of 2020, As of the 2020 U.S. census, the township's population w ...
, Uyehara passed away on June 22, 2014. She was remembered by other Japanese Americans for her focus and effectiveness as an activist, "the heart and soul of
redress."
Further reading
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References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Uyehara, Grace
1919 births
2014 deaths
People from Stockton, California
Japanese-American internees
Japanese-American civil rights activists
American social workers
Activists from California
American people of Japanese descent
Women civil rights activists
20th-century American women
21st-century American women