Japanese Americans - Research Paper Example

Unit This essay expounds on Japanese Americans origin, history, struggles and success. Research for the above topic has been conducted through Journals, books, and other educational sources. The research is evident and supported by the key question, in reference to the topic Japanese Americans, why they migrated to U.S, their current status in terms of political, socioeconomic, educational, difficulties they faced, how they were treated when they arrived in U.S and how they attempted to overcome any difficulties they encountered. Additionally, the paper also explores on the education equity today, in terms of what Japanese Americans have done to receive equal education opportunities today. This research therefore, gives teachers an idea of the part they participate in the future of the Japanese Americans. Prior Knowledge Japanese Americans are a group of immigrants from Japan. The legislation from the federal government excluded additional Chinese immigration and demanded new labor from immigrants. Before starting my research on Japanese Americans, my knowledge was based on assumptions that I had made. My prior knowledge of the Japanese Americans did not exist and was vey partial. I compared the group with Japanese who have originated from Japan and their hard work. Additionally, I compared the group with African-Americans basing my knowledge on poverty, language and culture on what I have learnt on African-Americans origin and past. I also thought they were descendants of Africans captives and Blacks whose ancestors immigrated to U.S and therefore, share the same history of slavery. However, my Prior knowledge changed this semester. I had the opportunity to read books about Japanese Americans, which changed my views and knowledge completely on the group and helped me, understand what Japanese Americans are like. However, my prior knowledge and perception changed completely, because I read more about their values, origin, culture and values that they hold highly within their community. This research paper has therefore, changed my perspective on the origin and values as well as changed my initial thoughts on African Americans. I am now aware that, Japanese Americans are not the same people as African-Americans who were captives and from Black origin. They also do not share the same history of slavery as well as culture. Japanese Americans is totally a different group from African-Americans in terms of origin, values, culture, and job descriptions. Through the research, I am now aware how wrong my views and assumptions on Japanese Americans in the United States. Narrative and Analysis Why Japanese Americans migrated in the United States The migration of Japanese Americans to United States is associated with the Hawaiian sugar industry between 1870 and 1880 in addition to, Japan painful transition to the modern economy that resulted to civil disorder, unemployment, and bankruptcies. This was a major reason why there was a large migration of Japanese to Hawaii. As a result, from 1900, a majority of Japanese in U.S live in Hawaii. Over 30,000 Japanese moved to Hawaii, single men being the majority. They practiced farming and farm laborers, who immigrated as sojourners instead of settlers. They are also said to have gone to Pacific Northwest in 1880, when federal legislation excluded the Chinese immigration and as a result demanded new labor immigrants. The Japanese immigrants comprised of 40 % of railroad laborers in Oregon (Spickard, 2009). As years passed, the Japanese returned to Japan. They anticipated for the legislation of the American Law against the Hawaii contract labor, after the Americans took over their plantations. They imported more than 27,000 Japanese laborers. However, the contracts were void under American laws leaving a number of Japanese free to migrate to U.S. Hawaii still remained the center of concentration for Japanese in many years. The Japanese immigrants preferred to live in Hawaii rather that U.S mainland because of race relations which were worse in U.S mainland than Hawaii (Spickard, 2009) .The U.S government was however; at ease issuing passports for both Hawaii and U.S mainland but still controlled the Japanese emigrants. As a result, a significant number of a small groups rose in Hawaii and by 1930, there were numerous foreigners born in Hawaii that exceeded those born in Japan. The Japanese were also having difficulties transitioning to a modern economy, which created bankruptcy and unemployment in the country the main reason as to why many Japanese opted to leave the country. Because of the country’s economic downfall, civil riots came up and therefore, many of them escaped to U.S for safety. Especially those with families ran away from the dangerous atmosphere. However, the majority of the immigrants were laborers and farmers who settled in California and Hawaii. Treatment of the Japanese Americans in the United States Bryan (2004), claims that the Japanese Americans were first of all blocked from participating into skilled occupations as well as purchasing land in the U.S mainland. The Americans claimed that they were threatening the living standards of businessmen, American workers and its society at large. Additionally, they were paying more than the Whites in their lands and those who worked on the farms were paid little than other races. The most disturbing and embarrassing procedures that they had to endure was staying in the internment camp during the World War 11. This was because they attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941 and therefore, the U.S considered them as untrustworthy, spies and dangerous. As a result, they were sent to internment camps to live there and Roosevelt signed an order for military commanders to allocate specific zones for Japanese Americans to stay. McDaniel (2003) claims that the Census Bureau of the U.S helped the government with the internment and though the camps were brought before the Supreme Court, it supported the internment camps forcing the Japanese Americans to stay in the camps until the World War 11 ended. To add to this, the above sub-group was considered as enemies to the Americans and treated as casual laborers in plantations. Apart from farm laborers they were also taken in as servants in a number of Americans homes, which doubled the number of house servants and farm laborers in the country. In the wartime internment camps, the Japanese Americans underwent threats to shoot, strip searches, display of firepower and frequent roll calls. They were forced to use dirty utensils, eat and sleep in the rain or tents. They also had a curfew that forbade them to publish or write threats or attacks against the American government. They were also supposed to carry alien cards all the time (Klein, 2007). Difficulties the Japanese Americans faced in U.S Japanese Americans faced many difficulties when they arrived in U.S. First, they were not allowed to own lands as well as premises. Those who owned them were required to pay a huge amount of money of tax to the government. Additionally, they were not allowed to move to the U.S mainland as well as own plantations. Bryan, (2004), argues that Japanese Americans were not allowed to study other courses except Liberal Arts and were required to school more years than the Whites. Japanese Americans professionals declined at a great rate, and as a result they were forced to work on farms and railways. They were also not accepted in the society and were considered as enemies in the society. The internment camps they were allocated to live in after they attacked the harbor, made their lives difficult. Klein (2007) implies that life in those camps was difficult and tortured the Japanese Americans. They lacked basic needs, including medical attention and as a result, majority of them died in those camps. To add to this, they were not allowed to take up skilled occupations and purchase land. McDaniel, (2003), Pg 126 states ” We were forced to eat from dirty utensils, sleep outside or sometimes in the rain, strip naked, always threatened to be killed with firearms, and our women were raped.” This was the most difficult period for Japanese Americans in the U.S. The federal government tortured them because they attacked the Pearl Harbor and therefore, Roosevelt ordered and signed the harsh treatment in addition to, staying in camps. How Japanese Americans reacted to the larger society and acted on it Japanese Americans did not give up their professions and lives easily. Instead, they took up the challenge and decided to compete with the Americans. The Liberal Arts they majored in increased their incomes than the Whites who were allowed to take up lucrative professions. This helped them react to the larger society as well as act in it. Because of the culture shock and mistreatment from the Americans, they took up their liberal Arts profession in order to act on the larger society. They embraced the American culture, learned English and other American activities (Johnson, 2011). Because of their economic progress, they were socially accepted and as a result they intermarried in order to blend with the Americans values and cultures.Despite their wartime internment and discrimination they never felt put down by the Japanese Americans, and instead they ended up achieving high occupational and higher incomes than Americans. They also decided to involve themselves in politics and as a result they were accepted in the society and helped them overcome the difficulties they faced ( Johnson, 2011). How Japanese Americans Overcame Difficulties and Adversity One of the ways that Japanese Americans overcame the difficulties and adversities is through intermarriages and liberal Arts. Taking up professions in Liberal Arts helped increase their income and economic status and as a result, they were accepted in the American society as well as allowed to intermarry. They also took up education seriously, where they learnt English and American values and culture in order to overcome adversities and other difficulties. Hu (2002), contends that the Japanese Americans followed Chinese footsteps in order to overcome their difficulties. For example, they started as unskilled laborers but worked hard to become big businessmen and as a result they were rejected and resented. Therefore, the Japanese decided to follow the same fashion and initially they became Chinese substitutes. Despite of all injustices inflicted upon them, they overcame all hardships and eventually became one of the most successful ethnic group (Bryan, 2004). This shows how the Japanese Americans preserved difficulties as well as adversity. They had qualities that everyone admired and tried to emulate. Despite the U.S government discriminating them, putting them on internment camps they still succeeded and became great businessmen than their white counterparts. Current Status of the Japanese Americans (socioeconomic, political, educational, social) The current status of Japanese American in terms of socioeconomic is great. When Japanese first arrived in America, their social status was low but they established themselves in agriculture and overtook the Whites. Their long period of schooling also turned out to be successful than the Whites who were considered bright in nature and were not allowed to school for many years. Additionally, their income increased from the liberal Arts they undertook that came along with their economic progress. Because of such cases, their current economic, education, political status have endured to date. Today all Japanese Americans are greatly-represented in both corporate economy and profession. The discrimination in American universities has largely ended. They also have higher education than the Whites as well as high incomes. Powell (2002) claims that the social and economic position is currently higher than any other time in American history. Educational Equity Today The above research will not be of any importance if its main aim is not to improve the future education of Japanese Americans. In terms of education today, the subgroup has equal opportunities like any other group in U.S. They are also achieving more in many areas of academics than Whites. For example, they still perform better in Liberal Arts than the Whites as well as in English and other subjects. Additionally, they receive higher diplomas than Americans who in recent years got better opportunities than the Japanese. As earlier discussed, the subgroup went to U.S with little or no knowledge at all, but did their level best to acquire education like any other White individual. Despite having limited resources, they learnt English and Liberal Arts and as a result, achieved greater progress than their white counterparts (Harden, 2003). The above group has therefore, all the opportunities to receive equal opportunities today at secondary, tertiary and elementary level. However, satisfactory education equity has been achieved because a Japanese student can take any course he or she feel like pursuing to any heights like any other Whites. Unlike in recent years where a Japanese American was only allowed to only study Liberal Arts as well as for long periods of time. This was achieved by the subgroup in terms of taking up the challenge and as a result becoming more successful than the Whites were. The U.S government therefore, allowed them to study whatever they wanted in order to continue raising their economy. McDaniel (2003) claims that, the U.S government realized that the group was bringing in more income because of Liberal Arts and therefore, decided to allow to equal education opportunity in the country. Additionally, the Japanese Americans strike also contributed in achievement of equal education opportunities in America. They demanded equal opportunities as Whites and therefore, formed a group called Federation of Labor that fought for better wages, equal education opportunities, and the same treatment as the Whites, among others. They refused to work in plantations until the U.S government solved the disputes and gave the Japanese Americans an equal education opportunity like the Whites. According to Spickard (2009), America’s education is lagging behind than Japanese Americans education. It is also not the same standard as Japanese Americans education which competes with other industrialized nations. For example, the performance of the subgroup in Math’s and Liberal Arts has always been constant compared to America’s. The subgroup also seeks high education above university level ahead of their counterparts, who enjoys leisure time than Japanese Americans. Educators and other concerned personnel should therefore, be modified in order to continue strengthening all students despite their race in order to help them extend, reason and analyze their ideas. This will help build their capacity to take their knowledge to higher levels and become educated. Additionally, it will enable them to incorporate, make references and parallels to other areas concerning their current status (Harden, 2003). References Bryan, N. (2004). Japanese Americans. Edina, Minn: Abdo Pub. Co. This book reviews the history of Japanese Americans, culture, values and why they migrated to U.S. It also touches on the group ethnic and contributions to America. Hu.F (2002), Profiling in the Wake of September 11: The precedent of the Japanese American Internment. Retrieved from: http://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?collection=journals&handle=hein.journals/cjust17&div=26&id=&page= This Journal emphasizes on the harsh treatment that Japanese underwent in the internment camps. The many lives lost, suffering and perseverance that the subgroup had to put up with in the camps. Harden.J(2003), Double cross : Japanese Americans in black and white Chicago. Retrieved from: http://3rXcC&pg=PA29&dq=japanese+Americans+articles&hl=en&ei=3w7DTsvvOIiJhQfW-bXmDQ&sa= This article demonstrates the achievements of Japanese Americans in U.S , as well as tries to compare and contrast education achievement between Japanese Americans and their White counterparts. Johnson (2011) Asian-American History. Retrieved from: http://www.infoplease.com/spot/immigration1.html This website compares Chinese and Japanese Americans. It argues that, the above subgroup followed the footsteps and shadows of the Chinese immigrants, the reason as to why they became grate businessmen. Spickard, P. R. (2009). Japanese Americans: The formation and transformations of an ethnic group. New Brunswick, N.J: Rutgers University Press. This website reviews the problems the Japanese Americans faced as well as how they overcame them. Additionally, it touches on all discrimination that Japanese Americans had to endure, and suffering in the internment camps. McDaniel, M. (2003). Japanese Americans. Chanhassen, Minn: Childs World. Retrieved from:http://www.everyculture.com/multi/Ha-La/Japanese-Americans.html#ixzz1dtt7XilK This website emphasizes on why Japanese immigrants moved to U.S. it explains the great immigration to Hawaii and U.S mainland. Whereby it claims that the group came to work, and escape from danger from their country and the difficulties they faced in U.S. Klein.S (2007),Handbook for achieving gender equity through education. New York : Routledge. This article talks about education equity exist in American education system as well as other important reference work in education equity in America. It provides U.S data on loses and gains in terms of education equity. Powell.R(2002), Articles/History/World War 11/Japanese American Internment in World War retrieved from:http://www.freeinfosociety.com/article.php?id=10 This article reviews the attack of Pearl harbor and consequences the Japanese faced after the attack. It also expounds on discrimination that the group had to undergo from the U.S government. Read More