William Hohri
Encyclopedia
William Minoru Hohri was an American political activist, born to Japanese immigrants parents, who was sent to a concentration camp with his family after the Attack on Pearl Harbor
triggered the US's entry into World War II
. After leading a class action lawsuit seeking redress for the actions of the federal government in the Japanese American internment
, which was dismissed, Hohri's advocacy helped convince Congress to pass legislation that provided compensation to each surviving internee
. The legislation signed by President Ronald Reagan
included an apology to those sent to the camps.
Hohri was born on March 13, 1927, in San Francisco to parents who had immigrated into the United States. He spent the first few years of his life in an orphanage after both of his parents were stricken with tuberculosis
and when he was returned to his family was fluent only in English, a language that his parents were unable to speak. When Pearl Harbor was attacked on December 7, 1941, Hohri was a student at North Hollywood High School
. His father was detained the day after the attack and sent to an internment camp in Fort Missoula
, Montana
. Under the terms of Executive Order 9066
issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt
in February 1942 and later upheld by the Supreme Court of the United States
, Hohri was sent to the Manzanar
internment camp in a remote area of California
together with the rest of his family and the more than 100,000 other Japanese American
s who had been swept up in the wave of anti-Japanese sentiment
that was whipped up by the Japanese attack on the U.S. He completed high school in the camp and earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Chicago
after he was released. By profession, Hohri worked as a computer programmer.
Calling the U.S. government's actions "consistent with the general pattern of discrimination already established" on a de facto basis before the war, Hohri became active in efforts to obtain compensation to those who had been interned and an official apology for the policy. As head of the National Council for Japanese American Redress, Hohri was the lead plaintiff in a lawsuit that sought $27 billion in damages for the class of individuals held in the internment camps, but the case was ultimately unsuccessful. In the wake of Hohri's efforts, the United States Congress passed the Civil Liberties Act of 1988
, under which an apology was offered and each surviving internee received $20,000 in compensation, which Hohri used to buy a Japanese-made car. The American Book Awards recognized him in 1989 for his book Repairing America: An Account of the Movement for Japanese American Redress.
A resident of Los Angeles
, Hohri died at the age of 83 on November 12, 2010, due to complications of Alzheimer's disease
at his home there in Pacific Palisades. He was survived by his wife, as well as by two daughters, three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
triggered the US's entry into World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. After leading a class action lawsuit seeking redress for the actions of the federal government in the Japanese American internment
Japanese American internment
Japanese-American internment was the relocation and internment by the United States government in 1942 of approximately 110,000 Japanese Americans and Japanese who lived along the Pacific coast of the United States to camps called "War Relocation Camps," in the wake of Imperial Japan's attack on...
, which was dismissed, Hohri's advocacy helped convince Congress to pass legislation that provided compensation to each surviving internee
Japanese American internment
Japanese-American internment was the relocation and internment by the United States government in 1942 of approximately 110,000 Japanese Americans and Japanese who lived along the Pacific coast of the United States to camps called "War Relocation Camps," in the wake of Imperial Japan's attack on...
. The legislation signed by President Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
included an apology to those sent to the camps.
Hohri was born on March 13, 1927, in San Francisco to parents who had immigrated into the United States. He spent the first few years of his life in an orphanage after both of his parents were stricken with tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
and when he was returned to his family was fluent only in English, a language that his parents were unable to speak. When Pearl Harbor was attacked on December 7, 1941, Hohri was a student at North Hollywood High School
North Hollywood High School
North Hollywood High School, originally called Lankershim High School when it opened in 1927, is a secondary school in North Hollywood in Los Angeles, California. The school mascot is the husky, and the school colors are blue, white and grey....
. His father was detained the day after the attack and sent to an internment camp in Fort Missoula
Fort Missoula
Fort Missoula was established by the United States Army in 1877 on land that is now part of the city of Missoula, Montana, to protect white settlers in Western Montana from possible threats from the native American Indians, such as the Nez Perce....
, Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
. Under the terms of Executive Order 9066
Executive Order 9066
United States Executive Order 9066 was a United States presidential executive order signed and issued during World War II by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt on February 19, 1942 authorizing the Secretary of War to prescribe certain areas as military zones...
issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
in February 1942 and later upheld by the Supreme Court of the United States
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
, Hohri was sent to the Manzanar
Manzanar
Manzanar is most widely known as the site of one of ten camps where over 110,000 Japanese Americans were imprisoned during World War II. Located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada in California's Owens Valley between the towns of Lone Pine to the south and Independence to the north, it is...
internment camp in a remote area of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
together with the rest of his family and the more than 100,000 other Japanese American
Japanese American
are American people of Japanese heritage. Japanese Americans have historically been among the three largest Asian American communities, but in recent decades have become the sixth largest group at roughly 1,204,205, including those of mixed-race or mixed-ethnicity...
s who had been swept up in the wave of anti-Japanese sentiment
Anti-Japanese sentiment
Anti-Japanese sentiment involves hatred, grievance, distrust, dehumanization, intimidation, fear, hostility, and/or general dislike of the Japanese people and Japanese diaspora as ethnic or national group, Japan, Japanese culture, and/or anything Japanese. Sometimes the terms Japanophobia and...
that was whipped up by the Japanese attack on the U.S. He completed high school in the camp and earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
after he was released. By profession, Hohri worked as a computer programmer.
Calling the U.S. government's actions "consistent with the general pattern of discrimination already established" on a de facto basis before the war, Hohri became active in efforts to obtain compensation to those who had been interned and an official apology for the policy. As head of the National Council for Japanese American Redress, Hohri was the lead plaintiff in a lawsuit that sought $27 billion in damages for the class of individuals held in the internment camps, but the case was ultimately unsuccessful. In the wake of Hohri's efforts, the United States Congress passed the Civil Liberties Act of 1988
Civil Liberties Act of 1988
The Civil Liberties Act of 1988 is a United States federal law that granted reparations to Japanese-Americans who had been interned by the United States government during World War II. The act was sponsored by California's Democratic Congressman Norman Mineta, an internee as a child, and Wyoming's...
, under which an apology was offered and each surviving internee received $20,000 in compensation, which Hohri used to buy a Japanese-made car. The American Book Awards recognized him in 1989 for his book Repairing America: An Account of the Movement for Japanese American Redress.
A resident of Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, Hohri died at the age of 83 on November 12, 2010, due to complications of Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
at his home there in Pacific Palisades. He was survived by his wife, as well as by two daughters, three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.