Bellevue, Washington was home to a powerful Japanese American farming community before World War II. Find out how one local artist is honoring this group with an art display at Bellevue Arts Museum.
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Prior to WWII, Bellevue, Washington was home to a powerful and vibrant Japanese American community. In 1942 the United States government forcibly evacuated and incarcerated sixty Japanese American farming families from Bellevue. They were among 120,000 Japanese Americans who were sent to incarceration camps from along the west coast.
After the war, only a handful of these families returned to Bellevue because many of them lost their land and work here.
Local artist, Michelle Kumata honors this community with an art display at Bellevue Arts Museum. It’s titled Emerging Radiance: Honoring the Nikkei Farmers of Bellevue.
Last Updated March 10, 2022