Emi Kuboyama, Office of Redress Administration (ORA) Oral History Project

ddr-densho-1020

In 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt ordered the evacuation and incarceration of Japanese Americans with Executive Order 9066. Forty-six years later, Congress sought to belatedly address this injustice with the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, which established a process of redress for those harmed by 9066. Housed within the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, the Office of Redress Administration (ORA) was the government body created to carry out this historic task. This project documents the history of the ORA through ten oral histories with former staff. These never-before-recorded stories chart the development and operation of ORA, highlighting the struggles and successes of the agency during its ten-year tenure. The project also includes oral histories with two community leaders that helped facilitate the redress process between the Japanese American community and ORA. Taken together, the project offers scholars and the public one of the first, in-depth looks at Japanese American redress. These interviews were conducted by Emi Kuboyama, Director of Professional Networks, Stanford University. She served as an attorney for the Department of Justice’s Office of Redress Administration from 1995-1998.

2019-2020

2019-2020

Densho

Courtesy of Emi Kuboyama

Copyright restricted
Copyright restricted

13 Objects

Aaron Zajic Interview (ddr-densho-1020-1)
vh Aaron Zajic Interview (ddr-densho-1020-1)
Born in Baltimore, Maryland. During the Redress Movement, worked for the Department of Justice's Office of Redress Administration (ORA), which was established to identify and administer reparations payments to eligible individuals. Was the ORA's Manager, Stage II Verification Team, from 1990 to 2000. By 1993 some of the ORA staff began working on Civil Rights investigations, …
Martha Watanabe Interview (ddr-densho-1020-2)
vh Martha Watanabe Interview (ddr-densho-1020-2)
Born in Chicago, Illinois. During the Redress Movement, worked for the Department of Justice's Office of Redress Administration (ORA), which was established to identify and administer reparations payments to eligible individuals. Worked as an Administrator with the ORA from 1989 to 1991. After leaving the ORA, worked with the Civil Liberties Public Education Fund, the Office …
Lisa Johnson Interview (ddr-densho-1020-3)
vh Lisa Johnson Interview (ddr-densho-1020-3)
Born in Alexandria, Virginia. During the Redress Movement, the Department of Justice's Office of Redress Administration (ORA) was established to identify and administer reparations payments to eligible individuals. Worked as a Project Manager with the ORA from 1990 to 2000.

(This material is based upon work assisted by a grant from the Department of the Interior, …

Angela Noel Gantt Interview (ddr-densho-1020-4)
vh Angela Noel Gantt Interview (ddr-densho-1020-4)
Born in Wilmington, Delaware. During the Redress Movement, worked for the Department of Justice's Office of Redress Administration (ORA), which was established to identify and administer reparations payments to eligible individuals. Worked as a Program Management Analyst for the Special Verification Unit of the ORA from 1991 to 1995. After leaving the ORA, following a brief …
Joanne Chiedi Interview (ddr-densho-1020-5)
vh Joanne Chiedi Interview (ddr-densho-1020-5)
Born in Washington, D.C. During the Redress Movement, worked for the Department of Justice's Office of Redress Administration (ORA), which was established to identify and administer reparations payments to eligible individuals. Worked as the ORA's Deputy Director, Verification Unit, from 1989 to 1997. After leaving the ORA, went on to work as the Deputy Executive Officer, …
Robert
vh Robert "Bob" Bratt Interview (ddr-densho-1020-6)
Born in Bethesda, Maryland. During the Redress Movement, worked for the Department of Justice's Office of Redress Administration (ORA), which was established to identify and administer reparations payments to eligible individuals. From 1988 to 1992, was Administrator for the Office of Redress Administration as well as Executive Officer for the Civil Rights and Criminal Division. After …
Tink Cooper Interview (ddr-densho-1020-7)
vh Tink Cooper Interview (ddr-densho-1020-7)
Born in Atlanta, Georgia. During the Redress Movement, worked for the Department of Justice's Office of Redress Administration (ORA), which was established to identify and administer reparations payments to eligible individuals. Was Legal Counsel for the ORA from 1991 to 2000. After leaving the ORA, was Chief and Deputy Chief, Freedom of Information Act/Privacy Act Branch, …
Alice Kale Interview (ddr-densho-1020-8)
vh Alice Kale Interview (ddr-densho-1020-8)
Born in Virginia. During the Redress Movement, worked for the Department of Justice's Office of Redress Administration (ORA), which was established to identify and administer reparations payments to eligible individuals. Worked as a Historical Researcher with the ORA from 1988 to 1996. After retirement in 1996, worked as a consultant to DOJ on a variety of …
Pamela Rouse Dixon Interview (ddr-densho-1020-9)
vh Pamela Rouse Dixon Interview (ddr-densho-1020-9)
Born in Newport News, Virginia. During the Redress Movement, worked for the Department of Justice's Office of Redress Administration (ORA), which was established to identify and administer reparations payments to eligible individuals. Worked as a Document Technician with the ORA from 1997 to 2000. After the ORA sunset, continued to work for the Department of Justice/Civil …
Kay Ochi Interview (ddr-densho-1020-10)
vh Kay Ochi Interview (ddr-densho-1020-10)
Born in San Diego, California. During the Redress Movement, the Department of Justice's Office of Redress Administration (ORA) was established to identify and administer reparations payments to eligible individuals. Acted as a community liaison with the ORA from 1989 to 2000 as an officer of the Nikkei for Civil Rights & Redress (NCRR) in Los Angeles. …

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