ARTchivist's Notebook: Small acts of resistance
Last night, I attended Breaking Curfew: Everyday Japanese American Resistance during World War II at the Huntington. It was a lecture by scholar Anna Pegler-Gordon on the ways in which Japanese Americans resisted the curfews restricting the movement of Japanese, German, and Italian Americans during the early days of the U.S.’s entry into World War II. These “enemy aliens” were prohibited from being away from home between the hours of 8pm and 6am in the Western Defense Command Area 1, which included most of California and western Oregon and Washington. They were also required to get a permit, signed by the U.S. Attorney, to travel more than 5 miles from their home or place of work for any reason, at any time of day.
Pegler-Gordon identified three groups of Japanese Americans who regularly resisted: youth, workers, and unhoused people. Young people, perhaps more willing to take risks, continued to attend parties and hang out with their friends in the evenings, defying the 8pm curfew. Farmers, who needed to be up before dawn to transport and sell their wares at wholesale markets, continued to contribute to the food chain. Workers in hotels, restaurants, and other nightlife industries, protested at the Federal Building in Los Angeles because the curfews essentially robbed them of their livelihood. And a group we seldom think about in the history of Japanese America, unhoused people, simply had nowhere to go to not be on the streets.
These folks were sometimes arrested and prosecuted and did jail time, but sometimes not. Sometimes local police looked the other way; other times, district attorneys declined to prosecute. These small acts of resistance — on the part of the people and the local authorities — tacitly recognized that the curfews were unfair and placed an undue burden on folks who were just trying to live their lives. The talk, which unfortunately doesn’t seem to have been recorded, was a trenchant reminder that sometimes the only way to resist authoritarianism is just to live.
That said, what is up, Library of Congress?
The Library of Congress has just proposed changing all subject headings that mention the “Gulf of Mexico” to “Gulf of America.” It took almost 10 years to change the heading “Illegal aliens” to “Non-citizens”. Why are you being so quick to respond now? If there was ever an opportunity for a small act of resistance, it would surely be now.
Please support the National Archives
Things are even worse at NARA, which is quickly being dismantled. EveryLibrary has started a petition to protest. My esteemed colleague, Audra Eagle Yun, has also started one. The Fellows of the Society of American Archivists has published an open letter that anyone can sign. Please add your name and also contact your Congress people. While it is a small act of resistance to simply live our lives, we also need to make our voices heard.
Some wisdom from Toni Morrison
Pegler-Gordon’s talk also resonated with this LinkedIn post from Kirk M. quoting Toni Morrison:
“It’s important, therefore, to know who the real enemy is, and to know the function, the very serious function of racism, which is distraction. It keeps you from doing your work. It keeps you explaining over and over again, your reason for being. Somebody says you have no language and so you spend 20 years proving that you do. Somebody says your head isn’t shaped properly so you have scientists working on the fact that it is. Somebody says that you have no art so you dredge that up. Somebody says that you have no kingdoms and so you dredge that up.
None of that is necessary.
There will always be one more thing.“
Don’t let them distract you from doing your work, from living your life, from caring about and supporting the folks you believe in and who believe in you.
And if you need it…
A moment of joy from Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings. ❤️