Japanese-American man walks at high school graduation 72 years after World War II internment
Source: Japanese-American man walks at high school graduat
Japanese-American man walks at high school graduation 72 years after World War II internment
By The Associated Press June 22, 2014 5:00 PM
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. - A California man who missed his 1942 high school graduation because he was locked in an internment camp for Japanese-Americans finally walked in a cap and gown last week, more than seven decades after he was pulled out of class just a month shy of his big day.
Don Miyada, now 89, joined Newport Harbor High School's 2014 graduating class on stage and received a standing ovation when he was hailed as an inaugural member of the school's hall of fame, the Los Angeles Times reported on Sunday.
Miyada was 17 when he was sent with his family and more than 17,000 other detainees to a patch of desert land near Poston, Arizona, shortly after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor during World War II. A teacher later sent him a letter expressing shock that he couldn't finish high school and included a diploma but Miyada always regretted that he missed the celebration.
In May, Miyada met Newport Harbor's principal, Sean Boulton, during a Memorial Day service at the high school and Boulton invited him to walk with the 560 seniors who would be graduating. Boulton even found a copy of the program from what would have been Miyada's graduation day in 1942.
Read more: http://www.canada.com/news/world/JapaneseAmerican+walks+high+school+graduation+years+after+World/9964158/story.html
JDPriestly
(57,936 posts)is still demonstrating for peace EVERY WEEK. Hurrah for these wonderful people.
Mnemosyne
(21,363 posts)having such trauma inflicted on him by his own country. Tried to get image to link, but couldn't for some reason.
Half-Century Man
(5,279 posts)A simple acknowledgment of an overreach of power.
hughee99
(16,113 posts)Half-Century Man
(5,279 posts)Not all reparations are made by governmental organizations. The ones made at a personal level are the ones felt them most; ie, "I'm Sorry".
Overseas
(12,121 posts)riderinthestorm
(23,272 posts)Uncle Joe
(58,342 posts)Thanks for the thread, Judi Lynn.
jamzrockz
(1,333 posts)Maybe its because I didn't go to high school in the states but I just don't understand why its such a big deal to walk at ones high school graduation. I almost didn't walk down my college graduation except for the fact that my mom really really wanted a picture of it
heaven05
(18,124 posts)another amerikkkan blackeye.