Aiko Herzig-Yoshinaga - Researcher for Justice
Born: August 5, 1924, in Sacramento, California, U.S.A.
Died: July 18, 2018, Torrance, California, U.S.A.
Aiko Herzig-Yoshinaga was a pivotal figure in the Japanese American Redress Movement.
Aiko Herzig-Yoshinaga was born on August 5, 1924, in Sacramento, California, to Japanese immigrant parents from Kyushu, Japan. In 1933 her family moved to Los Angeles, where she grew up. Years later, while attending Los Angeles High School, her life changed in ways she could never have imagined.
During her senior year, in the middle of World War II, Aiko learned that she would not be allowed to graduate. Instead, she would be sent to Manzanar, one of the internment camps created after President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066. This order forced Japanese Americans from their homes and into camps, even though they had done nothing wrong. Pregnant and afraid she would be separated from her boyfriend, Jacob Miyazaki, Aiko married him before being sent away. The couple was taken to Manzanar, while her parents were sent first to the Santa Anita racetracks and later to Jerome camp in Arkansas.
Aiko gave birth at Manzanar and later transferred to Jerome so she could be with her sick father. Sadly, he died just ten days after she arrived. When Jerome closed, Aiko and her family were moved to Rohwer camp, also in Arkansas. Life in the camps was harsh, with crowded living spaces, poor food, and little privacy.
After the war, Aiko tried to rebuild her life. She studied to become a stenotypist and found part-time work. Her marriage to Jacob, however, did not last, and they divorced. Later, she moved to New York City, married David Abe, and had two more children. That marriage also ended in divorce, leaving Aiko to raise three children on her own. To support them, she worked as a clerical worker, where she grew skilled at understanding complex government paperwork. This experience later became very important.
In the 1960s, Aiko became involved with Asian Americans for Action (AAA), a group that brought Japanese Americans together to discuss social issues like the Vietnam War and nuclear testing. These meetings deepened her interest in politics and justice. At the same time, she worked at Jazzmobile, a nonprofit that promoted jazz music and education, and developed a stronger passion for racial justice.
In 1978 Aiko married John “Jack” Herzig, and the couple moved to Washington, D.C. Inspired by her own experiences in the camps, Aiko began researching Japanese American internment at the National Archives. Jack supported her fully, and the two worked together as a team.
In 1980 the U.S. government created the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians (CWRIC) to consider reparations for Japanese Americans. That same year, the National Council for Japanese American Redress filed a $27 billion lawsuit. Aiko’s deep research helped provide evidence for both efforts. She became a lead researcher for the CWRIC in 1981.
Her biggest discovery came the next year. While searching through files, she uncovered one surviving copy of a report by Lieutenant General John DeWitt. The report showed that there was never a true military reason to imprison Japanese Americans. Instead, it admitted that officials believed it was “impossible to separate the sheep from the goats,” meaning all Japanese Americans were locked up because of their race. This report had been hidden and nearly destroyed, but Aiko’s persistence brought it to light.
Her work helped reopen the cases of Fred Korematsu, Gordon Hirabayashi, and Minoru Yasui, three men who had resisted evacuation orders during the war. Known as the “coram nobis” cases, these legal battles proved the government had lied and destroyed evidence. Aiko also worked directly with survivors of the camps, helping them qualify for reparations.
In 1988 President Ronald Reagan signed the Civil Liberties Act, which included a formal apology and $20,000 payments to survivors of the camps. Aiko’s work was key in making this happen. Her influence continued long after. In 2011 the Supreme Court ruled that Americans could not be relocated in wartime based only on race.
Aiko Herzig-Yoshinaga died on July 18, 2018, at age 93. Her determination and courage ensured that the truth about Japanese American incarceration was revealed. She left behind a legacy of justice and hope, proving that one person’s persistence can change history.
References:
“Aiko Herzig Yoshinaga: MOTC: Museum of the Courageous.” MOTC, 12 July 2023, motc.org/aiko-herzig-yoshinaga.
“Japanese American National Museum Mourns The Passing of Aiko Herzig Yoshinaga.” Japanese American National Museum (JANM), www.janm.org/press/release/japanese-american-national-museum-mourns-passing-aiko-herzig-yoshinaga.
Keywords:
Justice, Wartime, Courage, Perseverance, Honesty, Responsibility, Challenge Injustices, Make a Difference, Civil Rights
Explore ARTEFFECT projects about this Unsung Hero:
Aiko Herzig-Yoshinaga Artworks