SBPLibrary
Source: Santa Barbara Public Library
During the month of February, Santa Barbara Public Library will be exploring a painful period in American history with a series of events for the Day of Remembrance.
On February 19, 1942, Executive Order 9066 was signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, paving the way for the violation of constitutional rights that resulted in the forced removal and incarceration of 120,000 Japanese Americans in U.S. concentration camps.
Over forty years later, California Governor George Deukmejian declared February 19, 1986 to be a Day of Remembrance in California. This February, Santa Barbara Public Library will host a number of programs that recognize this dismal part of our American history in the hopes that atrocities like it will not occur again, as well as highlight the struggle for justice that followed and the hope that movement can inspire.
The Library has partnered with 16 other California libraries and film producer Abby Ginzberg to screen the documentary And Then They Came for Us for free for the week of February 12-18. And Then They Came for Us is an award-winning documentary directed by the Peabody Award winning team of Abby Ginzberg and Ken Schneider.
Featuring George Takei and many others who were incarcerated, as well as newly rediscovered photographs by Dorothea Lange, And Then They Came for Us brings history into the present, retelling this difficult story and following Japanese American activists as they speak out against the Muslim registry and travel ban. Knowing our history is the first step to ensuring we do not repeat it. And Then They Came for Us is a cautionary and inspiring tale. Sign up to watch the film here.
On February 19 at 4:00 pm, the public is invited to join a live discussion and Q&A of the film And Then They Came for Us with producer Abby Ginzberg and actor, author, and activist George Takei. To participate, register here.
Additional events for the community to participate in discussion around the Day of Remembrance and our world today are SBPL’s TED & Joe in the Morning and Social Justice Book Club.
TED & Joe in the Morning is a series in which 2-4 TED Talks on a particular topic are shared and then individuals come together to discuss. This month, the topic for Friday, February 12 at 9:30 am is Truth & Reconciliation. Videos will explore examples of civic truth and reconciliation, but also what this means for us in our own personal relationships. Registration required to receive the link to join.
The February meeting of the Social Justice Book Club will discuss George Takei’s They Called Us Enemy, “A beautifully heart-wrenching graphic-novel adaptation of actor and activist Takei’s childhood experience of incarceration in a World War II camp for Japanese Americans” (Kirkus Reviews). The Social Justice Book Club will meet on Thursday, February 25 at 5:45 pm, register here.They Called Us Enemy is available to check out in paperback and ebook (hoopla, hoopla – expanded edition or Libby/Overdrive).
As part of SBPL’s programming in honor of the Day of Remembrance, in partnership with the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation (SBTHP), all are invited to view a virtual exhibit of Santa Barbara’s Nihonmachi (Japantown). This exploration of Santa Barbara’s Nihonmachi is an example of values held by SBTHP to promote the diversity of cultures that comprised the Presidio Neighborhood and to activate the power of places of memory to engage the public with a deeper understanding of the past and inspire action to shape a better future. While El Presidio de Santa Bárbara State Historic Park remains closed due to the pandemic, the public is encouraged to tour the neighborhood when Covid-19 safety regulations are lifted. To begin exploration, it is recommended to start at the interpretive sign near the parking lot at the corner of Anacapa and Canon Perdido Streets. Find a map here.
Day of Remembrance Activities
– Ongoing: Nihonmachi Virtual Exhibit with Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation
– Feb. 12, 9:30 am: TED & Joe in the Morning – Truth & Reconciliation. Register here.
– Feb. 12 – 18: Free screening of And Then They Came For Us. Sign up to watch the film here.
– Feb. 19, 4:00 pm: Q&A with producer Abby Ginzberg and George Takei. Register here.
– Feb. 25, 5:45 pm: Social Justice Book Club on George Takei’s And Then They Came For Us. Join here
Visit the Santa Barbara Public Library online at SBPLibrary.org for information about programs and services. All library programs are free and open to the public.
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