Hidden Memories
Anne Shimojima’s Japanese American family didn’t talk about coming to the United States or living through World War II. It took months of questions and research to uncover their story of immigration and imprisonment in incarceration camps for the crime of looking like the enemy. Anne illustrates her story with photographs from her family and the National Archives, showing a journey of determination, perseverance, and strength.
Anne Shimojima has been telling stories from her Asian heritage and around the world for forty years. Her signature piece Hidden Memory: An American World War II Story, describes her Japanese American family’s experience in World War II, and in 2024 she received the Circle of Excellence Award from the National Storytelling Network.
