Thé

1979 · rif. 219873 — Portland. 1979. Black and white poster with the pink logo in background 51 x 35.5cm. Pinholes at corners small section of paper abrasion upper edge two light marks. In very good condition. This historic poster announces the first Day of Remembrance gathering held on February 17 1979 at the Multnomah County Exposition Center in Portland. It invites Japanese American families to attend and remember “the years of hardship Japanese America endured.” The poster lists numerous speakers and encourages attendees to bring potluck dishes to share. The Japanese American redress movement began in the 1970s and gradually gained momentum. In Oregon the first public gathering to address the injustices of internment took place during Thanksgiving weekend of 1978 in Seattle. The following year Portland hosted its first Day of Remembrance event at the former Portland Assembly Center—the initial internment site in the area—to commemorate the day President Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066 in 1942. Approximately 1200 people attended the gathering where participants were invited to add their names to an open letter to Senator Hayakawa who opposed the redress movement. The movement continued to grow ultimately resulting in President Reagan signing the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 which provided reparations to Japanese Americans who had been affected by internment. Visually anchoring the poster is the ichi-ni-san logo created by artist Frank Fujii. The design cleverly incorporates stylized representations of the Japanese words for “one two three” symbolizing the first second and third generations Issei Nisei and Sansei of Japanese Americans. The figures are encircled by barbed wire—a stark reminder of the wartime camps. This poignant symbol remains in use today. . unknown