PARTNER

OBJECT ID

ddr-one-5-236 (Koyama147; 2016.23.147; NDD978084)

PARENT COLLECTION

Dr. Keizaburo Koyama Family Collection

DESCRIPTION

Photocopy of a typed letter from Teru Koyama to Edward J. Ennis concerning the rehearing of Keizaburo Koyama's case. Mrs. Koyama contacted her agent about Dr. Shiomi's claim and was told that it wasn't true. The agent added that it would be impossible since the lease was in Dr. Koyama's name. In February of 1942, Mrs. Koyama cleared out her husband's office. Mrs. Koyama then goes on in the letter detailing why she and her husband raised their kids as Americans. She attributes becoming a Christian as the main impetus for not teaching her children Japanese. She said the Bible states that a person cannot serve two masters, so neither can a person serve two nations. She did say that she received criticism from the Japanese community for this, but she wanted her kids to be loyal to only one country, so the sacrifice was worth it. If they wanted to learn Japanese, they could do so on their own.

CONTRIBUTOR

Japanese American Museum of Oregon; Portland, Oregon

PREFERRED CITATION

Courtesy of Dr. Keizaburo Koyama Family Collection, Japanese American Museum of Oregon

RIGHTS