2024 Jerome/Rohwer Pilgrimage
Virtual Programming
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The design features Purple Coneflowers, native to Little Rock and Arkansas. These flowers are widely used in herbal medicine and are considered a modern symbol of resilience.
This years design was created by Allyn Suzuki, yonsei designer from Berkeley, CA. Heavily motivated by design’s role in society as a tool of empowerment, her roots and identities heavily guide her approach to design and beyond.
ZOOM PROGRAMS
Intergenerational Groups
Saturday, June 8 @ 1p PT / 3p CT / 4p ET
The intergenerational discussion groups are a place where we can come together to discuss and share stories from Jerome and Rohwer. We hope to provide a space in which attendees across generations can connect, as cross-generational conversation is an important aspect of keeping the memories of Jerome and Rohwer alive. We invite you to join in the conversation with other pilgrimage attendees and encourage you to share what you are able.
Virtual Meeting Space
Have you been enjoying the virtual portions of the Jerome/Rohwer pilgrimage and would to talk with others about it? Well, come join us during the evenings where we will discuss the programming (or you can hangout with those who are also attending the pilgrimage virtually)! The virtual meeting space will be held every night of the pilgrimage (Wed - Fri) starting at 6 PM PT / 8 PM CT / 9 PM ET.
LIVESTREAMS
Wednesday, June 5
From Jerome/Rohwer to Tulsa: Why Japanese Americans Are Supporting Black Reparations
12 PM PT / 2 PM CT / 3 PM ET
Japanese Americans are supporting Black Reparations. In 1981, the powerful testimonies from the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians (CWRIC) hearings helped to educate, unify and mobilize our community around the role of the government and our right to reparations. Today many Japanese Americans are working with organizations in the Black community in support of Black Reparations. This workshop will talk about the history of solidarity between our communities from the Issei generation to the Civil Rights and redress movements. Workshop speakers will highlight personal stories and examples of shared experiences of oppression, resistance and collaboration and describe how our communities fought together against injustices to win Japanese American redress and reparations in 1988. Attendees will hear about the current work to win Black reparations by organizations across the country. We will spotlight the current fight for reparative justice for the burning down of Black Wall Street in Tulsa 100 years ago. There will be discussion on a Japanese American Pilgrimage to Tulsa, Oklahoma in 2025 to demonstrate solidarity and support. In this interactive workshop, participants are encouraged to join in with questions, perspectives, experiences so we can all learn together and find ways to build support and work in solidarity for Black reparations.
Keynote Speakers Akemi Kochiyama & Kai Naima Williams
5 PM PT / 7 PM CT / 8 PM ET
Thursday, June 6
Livestream from Rohwer Cemetery
8 AM PT / 10 AM CT / 11 AM ET
Watch in real time on Instagram Live!
WWII Japanese American Internment Museum 11th Anniversary Program
11 AM PT / 1 PM CT / 2 PM ET
Program:
Central Arkansas Taiko
Welcome by Mayor Jeff Owyoung & Mike Smith
Invocation - Jason Martin
National Anthem - Erin Aoyama
Jerome/Rohwer Pilgrimage Committee - Kimiko Marr
Keynote speaker - Ross Harano
Central Arkansas Taiko
Bon Odori
Livestream from Jerome Monument
1:30 PM PT / 3:30 PM CT / 4:30 PM ET
Watch in real time on Instagram Live!
Friday, June 7
“It’s Rice Land”
7 AM PT / 9 AM CT / 10 AM ET
Written and Performed by Connie Shirakawa
Directed and adapted for the stage by Sharon Evans
Post-performance discussion with moderator Ross Harano
America took everything from them. Their freedom, their property and their peace of mind. Connie Shirakawa reflects on her family's wartime history in America. Her parents’ romance while interned, their survival, and how the entire Shirakawa clan coped with the aftermath.
With the support of the Meyer and Norma Ragir Foundation
The Historical Record and Evolving Legacy of Jerome / Rohwer Photography
8 AM PT / 10 AM CT / 11 AM ET
A presentation and panel discussion of the photographic record of Jerome and Rohwer during World War II to the present day. Through a showcase of images taken by incarcerees of life in the camps to photographs captured today of survivors and descendants, the panelists will explore the history and evolving legacy of the imagery of the camp experience. Jeffrey Yamaguchi will present the photography of his Grandfather, Fred Yamaguchi, who ran the Rohwer Photo Studio. Aeko Yoshikawa will share stories and photos of her parents Richard & Helen Yoshikawa, to convey who they were and what they valued. Gail Erwin, archivist at the San Joaquin County Historical Society and Museum, will speak about the museum’s Yoshikawa Collection and showcase photos from the Rohwer albums.
Preserving the Stockton Assembly Center - Memory & Structure
9AM PT / 11AM CT / 12 PM ET
This talk will discuss the history of the Stockton/San Joaquin Japanese community prior to incarceration, documenting the critical role of the Stocktonian Japanese community in the history of Stockton, California agriculture, and Japanese-American history. From there, the talk will introduce the Stockton Assembly Center, its story as a center for incarceration, and efforts past and present to preserve the site for future generations. We will end with a call for action to join in current efforts to renovate and revitalize the Stockton Assembly Center hospital building.
A Tribute to Miss Rosalie
11 AM PT / 1 PM CT / 2 PM ET
In the lore of Jerome and Rohwer, no non-Japanese name is more storied and notable than Rosalie Santine Gould. Miss Rosalie’s contributions to our community are immeasurable except in their infinite resonance encompassing all of our elders, past and present, and all of their descendants into the future.
The Jerome/Rohwer Pilgrimage is honored to host a Tribute to Rosalie Santine Gould, long-time friend and champion of the survivors and descendants of the Jerome and Rohwer incarceration camps.
Gambatte! Legacy of an Enduring Spirit
12 PM PT / 2 PM CT / 3 PM ET
Join photographer Paul Kitagaki, Jr. for an inspiring presentation on "Gambatte! Legacy of an Enduring Spirit." Kitagaki explores the WWII incarceration of Japanese Americans through contemporary photographs and personal stories, highlighting the resilience of the Issei and Nisei generations. Through His book, “Behind Barbed Wire, Searching for Japanese Americans Incarcerated During WWII,” and the exhibition “Gambatte! Legacy of an Enduring Spirit,” Kitagaki ensures these vital stories are remembered and honored.
Camp Survivor Panel
1 PM PT / 3 PM CT / 4 PM ET
Join us for a compelling and poignant panel discussion featuring survivors of the Japanese American incarceration camps, as they share their experiences, reflections, and insights into one of the darkest chapters of American history.
The panel discussion will not only serve as a platform for preserving and sharing these important stories but also as a reminder of the importance of vigilance against prejudice, discrimination, and the infringement of civil rights. Audience members will have the opportunity to engage with the panelists, ask questions, and gain a deeper understanding of this often-overlooked chapter of American history.
Saturday, June 8
The Literature of Japanese American Incarceration: Resistance at Jerome
8 AM PT / 10 AM CT / 11 AM ET
Writer and historian Frank Abe will reveal stories of resistance to registration at Jerome, as depicted in the graphic novel, We Hereby Refuse, and writing from Rohwer that is presented in his new anthology of The Literature of Japanese American Incarceration from Penguin Classics. He will be joined in conversation with Jerome Rohwer Pilgrimage planning committee member Jeffrey Yamaguchi.