CJS expresses profound gratitude to the Takeshita family for their generous support of this project. Yuzuru Takeshita (1926–2016) was an esteemed educator, researcher, and activist who, along with his family, was incarcerated in concentration camps during World War II. After the war, he earned a bachelor’s degree from Park University in 1951 and a Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Michigan in 1962. For over thirty years, Professor Takeshita taught at the U-M School of Public Health. He was also an active CJS faculty member and served on the Board of Governors of the Japanese American National Museum.
Professor Takeshita was passionately dedicated to commemorating the U.S. government's incarceration of Japanese Americans during WWII, sharing his experiences through speeches and writings. He once stated, “If a wrong was committed by an earlier generation, it is still our responsibility to recognize that wrong and make amends so that new wrongs are not committed” (Ann Arbor News, 1987).
This project is in tribute to Yuzuru Takeshita’s memory and in the spirit of his dedication to truth and reconciliation.
We invite you to explore this significant historical initiative on our website here.
