Densho Digital Archive
Densho Visual History Collection
Title: Chizuko Norton Interview
Narrator: Chizuko Norton
Interviewer: Alice Ito
Location: Seattle, Washington
Date: April 27, 1998
Densho ID: denshovh-nchizuko-01-0042

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AI: Well, and now in your own family, you have another generation. You have a grandchild yourself.

CN: Yes. And he is learning about what happened to us during World War II, and also he's learning about his, his background, his mixed background. And sometimes he sees himself as Japanese, and other times as Caucasian, which is all right because he is.

AI: And as you look at him and his future and the future generations, do you have any particular thoughts or messages that you'd like to pass on?

CN: Only that I hope that we will really be able to look at people, not just on the surface only, but from the perspective of their experience and their parents' experiences. And also, I guess, what I'm saying is to look at what has shaped this person just like what has shaped us. So I don't know whether that makes any sense or not. But it's been an interesting and sometimes not-so-good experience that we have had, but it does need to be told. And I thank you very much and also that this kind of thing will never ever happen again. But knowing how human nature, we have to be careful, don't we, and be on guard all the time that this kind of thing won't happen again.

AI: Well, thank you very much.

CN: I wanted to thank you and I want to thank you, too, Matt, very, very much.

AI: And today is April 27, 1998. And we've been speaking with Chizuko Norton. My name is Alice Ito, our videographer is Matt Emery, and we've been speaking here in Seattle, Washington. Thanks again.

CN: Thank you.

<End Segment 42> - Copyright © 1998 Densho. All Rights Reserved.