Father was convinced the constitution would protect him

His family's migration to Salinas, California Father created a partnership to grow and ship vegetables Father's business partner operated their farming business during WWII Father was convinced the constitution would protect him Japanese were not welcomed back to Salinas Felt no hostility in Los Gatos, California after the war Able to settle easily in Los Gatos with foresight and luck Requested assignment in Europe to avoid combat in the Korean War Taking over his father's business after father's accident Mochitsuki tradition Feelings about redress Mr. Hirasaki brought World Fair Japanese pavilion to Gilroy

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When Pearl Harbor was announced, we knew right away…and my father didn’t say very much about it but he knew what was going on. He knew he had his constitutional rights. And when everybody else was panicking and when executive orders came about, he was convinced that this was unconstitutional and can’t be done. As a matter of fact, while the executive order went into place, the last day he was on the ranch changing the course of the Gavilan river, he was oblivious of the fact that he had to go to camp.

Date: March 22, 2018
Location: California, US
Interviewer: John Esaki
Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum

civil rights Constitution EO9066 World War II