Northern California Episcopalians embark on a journey of remembrance, honoring individuals detained in World War II internment camps.
In the heart of Northern California, the Episcopal Diocese of Northern California recently organised a poignant pilgrimage to the Tule Lake National Monument, a significant site in American history. This monument is the location of the nation's largest World War II Japanese concentration camp.
The pilgrimage was part of the diocese's efforts towards racial reconciliation, with participants gaining insights into the history of the camp from docents like Steve Sasaki from the California Museum, and National Park Service rangers.
The U.S. government's War Relocation Authority placed over 110,000 people of Japanese descent in 10 camps across various states during the war. At its peak, Tule Lake housed 18,700 people of Japanese descent. The Tule Lake Segregation Center opened on May 26, 1942, and housed people from western Washington, Oregon, and Northern California.
The Tule Lake pilgrimage was not just a historical tour, but a call to remember and learn from the past. The Rev. Julie Wakelee, the diocese's canon to the ordinary, found the visit impactful due to its parallels with current-day discrimination.
The pilgrimage was also significant for those who had personal connections to the camp. The Rev. Daisuke Kitagawa, father of the Rev. John Kitagawa, was incarcerated at Tule Lake while serving the Japanese community at St. Paul's Church in Kent, Washington.
The pilgrimage was planned by Jo Ann Williams, co-chair of the Commission on Intercultural Ministries, and many people have participated in the Sacred Ground dialogue series from The Episcopal Church on race.
The visit to Tule Lake marked a step towards racial justice for the diocese. After the closure of the camps, there was an effort for redress, calling for restitution of civil rights, an apology, and monetary compensation from the U.S. government. In 1988, the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 was passed, acknowledging the injustice of 'internment', apologizing for it, and providing a $20,000 cash payment to each person who was incarcerated.
The diocese also undertook a racial justice audit by the Mission Institute to further their commitment to racial reconciliation. The Very Rev. Cliff Haggenjos, rector of St. John's Episcopal Church in Roseville, helped lead a service of lament at the end of the day, providing a solemn conclusion to the pilgrimage.
Aidan Rontani, the rector of All Saints Church in Redding, Northern California, was only 'dimly aware' that the largest Japanese internment camp was within the Northern California diocesan district. The pilgrimage served as a powerful reminder of the importance of understanding and acknowledging the past to foster a more inclusive and equitable future.
The National Archives online information about Japanese incarceration during the war noted a striking irony: 'If we were put there for our protection, why were the guns at the guard towers pointed inward, instead of outward?' This question echoes the need for introspection and understanding that the Tule Lake pilgrimage seeks to foster.
Tule Lake was the last of the Japanese concentration camps to close, on May 5, 1946. The pilgrimage serves as a testament to the ongoing journey towards racial reconciliation and justice, a journey that the Episcopal Diocese of Northern California is committed to continuing.
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