A monument to Japanese Americans vandalized during the anti-Japanese hysteria of World War II will finally be restored more than 70 years later, reports the Los Angeles Times.
Located at Lancaster Cemetary in Antelope Valley in Los Angeles County, it was originally erected in 1938 to honor Japanese Americans who had lived and died in the community.
It is now sunken into the ground and all that’s left is the base and the engraved names of 13 Japanese American families who originally installed it.
Descendants of those who helped erect the memorial could hardly believe the news that it would be restored.
“I was just taken aback, because I figured it was an issue that was pretty much dead,” said Tom Shiokari, 81.
But apparently it isn’t dead. At least 60 Issei Japanese American will be honored when the memorial is rededicated.
“We are trying to right something that was done wrong to Japanese Americans, to their heritage, their community,” said Dayle DeBry of Lancaster Cemetary. “I hope that we can express that we are truly sorry for the wrong that was done to them. Restoring the monument will be symbolic of that.”
You can read more about the Japanese Americans who originally made this memorial possible in the Los Angeles Times.
