Contested Histories: Preserving and Sharing a Community Collection

During World War II, Japanese Americans incarcerated in America's concentration camps demonstrated their resilience, ingenuity, and creativity, from crafting necessities like furniture and tools to creating works of art. In 2015, thanks to the efforts of community organizations, leaders, and activists, JANM was entrusted with the safekeeping of the Eaton Collection, an important collection of some 400 items made by Japanese American incarcerees.

People around the United States have since helped JANM fill in the gaps in the historical record by identifying makers and telling the stories of artifacts from the collection as it toured the country. Now the exhibition, enhanced with these new findings, returns to JANM, where many of the recently restored artworks are on view for the first time.

Explore the collection that sparked national protest, decisive action, and multigenerational conversations within and beyond the Japanese American community.

This project was funded, in part, by a grant from the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Japanese American Confinement Sites Grant Program. Additional support was provided by George and Brad Takei, the Earle K. & Katherine F. (Muto) Moore Foundation, and Richard Sakai.