In the spring of 1942, Chiura Obata, an art professor at the University of California at Berkeley, and his family were among the thousands of Japanese Americans relocated to internment camps. Obata’s granddaughter, Kimi Kodani Hill, and Timothy Burgard, a curator at the DeYoung Museum in San Francisco, tell the story of Obata’s efforts to bring some civility and dignity — and art — into the lives of his fellow internees.
The story you just read is not locked behind a paywall because listeners and readers like you generously support our nonprofit newsroom. If you’ve been thinking about making a donation, this is the best time to do it. Your support will get our fundraiser off to a solid start and help keep our newsroom on strong footing. If you believe in our work, will you give today? We need your help now more than ever!