Art Shibayama

(1930-2018) Nisei born in Peru. Taken to the United States during WWII.

Activities growing up in Peru Family's deportation from Peru to U.S. after the bombing of Pearl Harbor Conditions aboard U.S. transport ship while being deported from Peru Learning English upon discovering that family could not return to Peru Playing baseball along with American Nisei and Kibei Denied redress as a Japanese Peruvian Thoughts on the post-9/11 atmosphere in the U.S.

Transcripts available in the following languages:

Nisei male. Born June 6, 1930 in Callao, Peru. Grew up in Peru, raised by both parents and grandparents. During World War II, taken with parents to the United States on a U.S. troop transport ship. Lived in the Crystal City internment camp, Texas, until family moved to work at Seabrook, New Jersey, a produce work company camp. Drafted into the army in the 1950s, even though considered an illegal alien, and served in Germany. Raised a family in Chicago, Illinois, and San Jose, California after military discharge. In recent years, attended several pilgrimages to Tule Lake incarceration camp, California, as well as reunions of Japanese Peruvians. Involved in the Campaign for Justice, an effort to obtain redress for Japanese Latin Americans. He passed away on July 31, 2018 at age 88. (July 2018)

*The full interview is available Denshō: The Japanese American Legacy Project.

kenjinkai nikkei peru undokai army U.S. transport ships World War II language Post-World War II baseball seabrook sports redress 911 discrimination FBI racism

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A project of the Japanese American National Museum


Major support by The Nippon Foundation