Betty Shizue (Taniguchi) Kitazumi
Betty Kitazumi, a Nisei and Sansei woman from Cortez, California, recalls memories from her childhood and the changes that took place in her life after the attack on Pearl Harbor. She explains the family’s struggle to pack up and leave their farm, burning and burying Japanese items, and leaving for Merced Temporary WCCA “Assembly Center” and later Amache WRA Concentration Camp. Kitazumi shares her experiences from her years in Amache, from the perspective of a child playing games such as hiding from the guard tower’s searchlight. She also explains how she and other Japanese Americans faced racial prejudice upon resettlement and argues that it is important for young people to educate themselves about their rights in order to prevent a repeat in history.
