Join the Reparative Archival Description Working Group (RAD) at Yale University Library for Language Matters: Defining the History of Japanese American Incarceration During World War II, a virtual symposium focused on the language used to describe the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II. Euphemisms such as “internment,” “relocation,” and “evacuation,” were utilized by the U.S. government and prevail in many sources that recount this history, including archival description. This symposium will bring together a group of speakers, each representing different experiences and perspectives, for panel presentations and a moderated conversation on their approaches to addressing euphemistic and harmful language in the words used to describe Japanese American incarceration. This event is co-sponsored by the Andrew W. Mellon Fellowship for Diversity, Inclusion & Cultural Heritage (CHF) at Rare Book School, on behalf of CHF fellow, Jessica Tai.
Panel speakers:
Patricia Biggs, Interpretive Ranger, Manzanar National Historic Site
Geoff Froh, Deputy Director, Densho
Courtney Sato, Assistant Professor, Department of Studies in Race, Colonialism, and Diaspora at Tufts University
Jessica Tai, Chair, Reparative Archival Description Working Group; Resident Processing Archivist, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
Moderated by Brian Niiya, Content Director and Lead Historian, Densho
Contact: Jessica Tai, Jessica.tai@yale.edu