In 1942, under the shadow of war, the U.S. government invoked the Alien Enemies Act to justify the forced removal and incarceration of more than 125,000 people of Japanese descent — most of whom were American citizens. The orders from White House uprooted and split families, causing them to abandon their homes, businesses, and communities.
It has been 80 years since the war ended and these people were released. In this series of portraits and interviews, photojournalist Morgan Lieberman captures the testimony and experiences of nine of the last survivors of Japanese American incarceration. Reflecting on their experience of a childhood spent in detention, they share stories not just of injustice, but of resilience, documenting what they endured, what they’ve carried with them the rest of their lives, and what about America’s past their country still hasn’t reckoned with.
