Christian Aquino
Forced Japanese-American Repatriation and the Strandees of WWII
I seek to research and document the experiences of incarcerated Japanese-Americans who, following the passing of the 1944 Denaturalization Act during the Second World War, were coerced or tricked into renouncing their U.S. citizenship. In particular, I hope to document the experiences of those individuals who, upon renouncing their citizenship, either faced undue mistreatment or even deportation (maybe labeled as repatriation). Some of these Japanese-Americans are included in a group known as Strandees, or Japanese-Americans who were unable to return to the U.S. during the war; yet another group of Japanese-Americans often missing from the overall history of the Japanese-American wartime and postwar experience. Through archival research and the tracing of histories, I want to continue to help fill gaps in the narrative of the struggles of Japanese-Americans during WWII.
Message To Sponsor
Thank you so much for supporting me with this wonderful opportunity to continue my work with Professor Leong. I really hope that in completing this project I will be contributing to more of the amazing work that he has introduced me to. With my background in both Global Studies and Japanese, I have always had to examine issues from a big picture perspective. Working with Professor Leong on Tessaku has allowed me to use my contextual knowledge and ground myself in a history that fits tightly in the gray area of my areas of study. I am sure that this project will give me an outlet to put all of my effort and energy into. I'm excited to give it my all!