California Story Fund
Back in the Day:
Rebirth and Renewal in San Francisco's Japantown
National Japanese American Historical Society
San Francisco
Project Director: Rosalyn Tonai
Capturing the history of post-war history of San Francisco's Japantown
When Japanese Americans returned to what was left of San Francisco's Japantown after being interned during the war, they created a vibrant ethnic neighborhood filled with small businesses, restaurants, cultural and religious organizations, and hundreds of families. That community, part of the larger area known as the Western Addition, was radically altered in the 1960s when much of the area was razed for a massive redevelopment project. While Japantown survives today, it is a drastically different neighborhood from what it once was.
This project captured the stories of former residents and business owners of Japantown as well as other people from surrounding areas, including African Americans who moved into the area after the war. People shared their experiences of World War II resettlement, the changing ethnic makeup of the area and the impact of redevelopment on their lives, among other topics.
The stories became the basis of an multimedia exhibit at the Historical Society gallery in Japantown.