UBC Japanese Canadian Students of 1942

In 1942, 21,000 Japanese Canadians were uprooted and exiled from the West Coast and were sent to internment camps. Amongst those sent away were 76 UBC students. These students were unable to complete their university studies or missed their graduation. In November 2011, the UBC Senate approved three measures to recognize what happened to these UBC students: the students would be awarded honorary degrees the following May, the university would develop initiatives to educate future students about this shameful period in Canadian history, and the Library would preserve and bring to life the historical record of that time. In order to help fulfill the third part of this mandate, the Library has produced oral history interviews with several of the affected students. These interviews, as well as other videos and films related to this commemoration, are made available here through the UBC Japanese Canadian Students of 1942 Collection.

Photo credit: UBC Public Affairs