Art Shibayama's Internment Experience

In the 1940s, Art Shibayama, a young Japanese-Peruvian, experienced the harsh reality of internment due to his ethnicity during World War II. His family, previously successful textile importers in Peru, found themselves forcibly moved to the United States after being rounded up by Peruvian police. They were housed in an internment camp in Crystal City, Texas, which was characterized by inadequate facilities, a lack of privacy, and a profound disconnect as the camp's education focused on Japanese language, despite the children's primary language being Spanish. This reflects a broader and often overlooked narrative of Japanese Peruvians, who, like Japanese Americans, faced severe discrimination and incarceration based solely on their heritage.