George Takei of Star Trek and social media fame hopes to take visitors to the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles where few have gone before.
As previously reported by AsAmNews, the actor and LGBT activist has donated many of his personal memorabilia to the museum’s permanent collection. The public will be able to see it for the first time in March, but he gave the Los Angeles Times a sneak preview (see video).
“The internment is our big historic story,” Takei says. “It was the most egregious violation of the United States Constitution. And it was facilitated by the fact that there were these preconceived images and conceptions of Japanese Americans. So I’ve been advocating for an exhibit that examines that history.”
His collection includes personal belongings from his time at a Japanese American incarceration camp in Arkansas, his run for Los Angeles City Council, items documenting his 29 year relationship with Brad Takei, his years in Hollywood and family mementos.
There’s a piece of art work from his father reminding him of his years living on skid row in Los Angeles after his family was released from the camps.
There’s publicity photos from Takei’s various roles on TV.
There’s also a copy of the issue of Frontier Magazine where Takei came out for the first time in 2005 and revealed his long relationship with Brad.
“I guess you could say it’s an ‘Oh, my’ moment,” Takei says. “Oh, myyyyyy!”
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