Exhibit highlights local Japanese American family incarcerated during World War II
Students in Anthropology professor Terry L. Jones’ ANT 311-Archaeological Laboratory Methods class perform post-field processing, classification, analysis, and preservation of archaeological materials found at a site once occupied by Japanese tenant farmers near Diablo Canyon Power Plant. Photo by Joe Johnston/University Photographer/Cal Poly.
San Luis Obispo History Center hosts ‘A Dream Interrupted’ through August
– Cal Poly anthropology and geography students are sharing the forgotten history of the Yoshida family, a Japanese American family incarcerated during World War II, in a new exhibit that opened Friday, May 30, at the History Center of San Luis Obispo County.
The exhibit, titled “A Dream Interrupted,” launched with a reception at 6:30 p.m. at 696 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo. Students and members of the Yoshida family, who lived near Montaño de Oro State Park from 1928 to 1942, attended the event, which was also streamed live via Zoom with free preregistration. The display will remain open through August.
The student-curated exhibit was created in partnership with descendants of the Yoshida family. Artifacts unearthed during a May 2024 archaeological excavation are paired with oral histories and family photos to tell the family’s story and document the impacts of Executive Order 9066, which authorized the forced removal and internment of Japanese Americans on the West Coast.
“In my 45 years as a professional archaeologist, this has been one of the most meaningful, if not powerful, projects I have ever been involved with,” said Professor Terry Jones, who led the excavation and exhibit effort. “Artifacts, bones, and shells recovered from the dig allowed students and descendants alike to establish a tangible, powerful connection with the past. This display is intended to capture that experience and further celebrate the lives of this Japanese American family, just one of tens of thousands who suffered the same fate, and to recognize and honor their perseverance in the face of extreme injustice.”
Students have shared their own stories of the project.
“Being able to connect with the Yoshidas and bring attention to their family story has been such an honor — and truly the best part of my college experience,” said Lacey May, a fourth-year anthropology and geography student. “This project has drawn in a lot of interest from people from all over. When we presented this project at the Society for California Archaeology and additionally for Cal Poly’s Green and Gold Banquet, so many people recounted similar stories that their families went through during World War II and Japanese incarceration. The reach of this project and how much it hits home for so many has made me realize its larger significance.”
Collin Marfia, a graduate student in the Higher Education, Counseling and Student Affairs program, was part of the student team as an undergraduate and continued his efforts this academic year.
“To be able to work on this project and work with the family was so, so impactful,” said Marfia, who studied history, anthropology, and geography. “To get to do restorative work and help the family connect back to a part of their lives was such a beautiful experience, and I just hope that being able to visit the site and leave a part of themselves there was as impactful for them as it was for me to witness.”
The evening included reflections from the student exhibit designers and members of the Yoshida family, who have closely collaborated on the project.
To learn more about the project, visit www.calpoly.edu/news/anthropology-students-work-artifacts-they-excavated-and-theyll-be-display-soon.
To register for the Zoom presentation, visit www.historycenterslo.org/lecture.
