The First Published Japanese-American Writer

I thought writing in prison was a challenge. Then The Conversation published Toshio Mori endured internment camps and overcame discrimination to become the first Japanese American to publish a book of fiction. Read it, please. Think yourself lucky.

At Topaz, Mori served as the camp historian, working to document major and minor events. Despite the restrictive conditions, Mori did continue writing. He reported to Saroyan that he had “enough material to keep me busy for a long time.” Mori completed a draft of a novel about the internment experience, and several of his new short stories appeared in “Trek,” the Topaz literary magazine.

In these days of Republicans trying to rewrite American history, we need reminded we had our own concentration camps. Nothing prevents us from having them again except the will of the American people.

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2/15/22