Japanese Americans: The History and Culture of a People highlights the enormous contributions of Japanese Americans in history, civil rights, politics, economic development, arts, literature, film, popular culture, sports, and religious landscapes. It not only provides context to important events in Japanese American history and in-depth information about the lives and backgrounds of well-known Japanese Americans, but also captures the essence of everyday life for Japanese Americans as they have adjusted their identities, established communities, and interacted with other ethnic groups. This innovative volume will become the standard resource for exploring why the Japanese came to America more than 130 years ago, where they settled, and what experiences played a role in forming the distinctive Japanese American identity.

Features

• Includes more than 200 clearly written, cross-referenced entries that present brief histories on the key people, places, and events associated with Japanese American history
• Highlights the distinctive contributions of Japanese Americans to the fabric and plurality of American life
• Describes the political, social, and religious institutions founded by Japanese Americans and the community-building, activist, and philanthropic roles they have played
• Provides a chronology of events, illustrations, and collection of primary documents