Sam Mihara (born February 1, 1933) is an American writer and history educator who is a survivor of the incarceration of Japanese Americans.[1]
Early life and education
editMihara is a second generation Japanese American who was born in Japantown, San Francisco, California in the early 1930s.[2] He is an American citizen by birth.[3][4] Prior to his family's incarceration, his father worked as a journalist.[5]
Following the start of World War II, Mihara was imprisoned at the age of 9 along with over 120,000 Japanese Americans to move to concentration camps by President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Executive Order 9066. His family was moved to Heart Mountain, a prison camp located in a remote area of Wyoming, where they were imprisoned for three years. At the camp, his family was forced to live in a 20 square foot room.[6]
Following the war, the Mihara family moved home to San Francisco. He graduated from Lick Wilmerding High School. Then, he studied at the University of California, Berkeley, graduating in 1956 with a bachelor's in engineering.[4] He then pursued graduate school, attending the University of California, Los Angeles for his master's degree.[7]
Engineering career
editWhile at UCLA, Mihara was hired by the Douglas Aircraft Company in Santa Monica which was the start of a 42-year career at the company.[8] While at Douglas, he served in various roles including as staff director for the Delta II rocket program.[9] He continued to work for the company after its acquisition by Boeing eventually becoming a key executive for the company.[5]
History educator and writing career
editSince he started speaking about the incarceration, over 95,000 people have heard his presentations in person.[10] His work has been self-funded and by various grants.[11]
He is the author of Blindsided: The Life and Times of Sam Mihara, an autobiography which describes his family's experience with Japanese American incarceration.[12][13][14]
Awards
editMihara has received a number of awards for his work documenting the incarceration. In 2022, he received the Japanese American of the Biennium Award for Education and Humanities from the Japanese American Citizens League.[15] In 2023, he was the winner of the Salem Award for Human Rights and Social Justice from Voices Against Injustice at The House of the Seven Gables.[16][17]
He is a member of the board of the Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation.[18]
References
edit- ^ "Sam Mihara Named Recipient of 2023 Salem Award for Human Rights and Social Justice". Rafu Shimpo. August 26, 2023. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
- ^ "Biography of Sam Mihara" (PDF). New Mexico Humanities Council. December 1, 2013.
- ^ Kalra, Arjun. "Sam Mihara". The Parker Weekly. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
- ^ a b Mihara, Sam; Redman, Sam, eds. (2015). Sam Mihara. Berkeley, CA: Oral History Center.
- ^ a b Monnier, Mia Nakaji (December 13, 2012). "The Hunt for Our Heritage". Rafu Shimpo. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
- ^ greenwichfreepress (April 27, 2023). "At GHS, Second-Generation Japanese American Sam Mihara Shares Experience in US Prison Camp during World War II". Greenwich Free Press. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
- ^ "Sam Mihara – Instructor | UCLA Extension". www.uclaextension.edu. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
- ^ "Sam Mihara". Discover Nikkei. Japanese American National Museum. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
- ^ Takahashi, Dean (August 10, 1991). "Possible Role for Rockets Worries Industry : * Space: Long-range missiles eliminated by START treaty could glut the satellite-launching market, some in the business fear". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
- ^ "Mihara receives grant to teach Japanese American incarceration in Wyoming". Powell Tribune. May 23, 2023. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
- ^ "Former Heart Mountain Incarceree Receives Grant From Wyoming Humanities Council | Big Horn Basin Media". May 11, 2023. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
- ^ "Japanese-American Incarceration Survivor Honored With 2023 Salem Award". Salem, MA Patch. August 14, 2023. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
- ^ "Signature Series: Sam Mihara Memories of Five Nisei". Campbell County Public Library. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
- ^ "What's Your Why? Episode: Sam Mihara: Surviving Heart Mountain". www.thinkwy.org. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
- ^ "2022 Convention Awardees". Japanese American Citizens League. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
- ^ "Japanese-American Incarceration Survivor Honored With 2023 Salem Award". Salem, MA Patch. August 14, 2023. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
- ^ "Heart Mountain Foundation board member honored for work". Powell Tribune. August 24, 2023. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
- ^ "Mihara receives ward for human rights and social justice". Northwest Asian Weekly. August 16, 2023. Retrieved August 30, 2023.