The President Roosevelt-issued Executive Order 9066, and its subsequent forced relocation and incarceration of 120,000 Japanese Americans in concentration camps for four years, is a difficult topic to revisit, and a piece of history that some folks are still just learning about. A box recovered by chance during a household cleanup led David Schendel to direct Enduring Democracy: The Monterey Petition on the efforts to end the internment of Japanese American citizens during WWII.
Told through interviews with professors, historians, survivors, and descendants of petition signatories, the film sets the scene for 1930s life in Monterey, a California city on the West Coast, where a large population of Japanese and Italian Americans lived, worked, and played together (particularly baseball). The narrative shifts to the events of Pearl Harbor and its subsequent fallout, leading to a racist distrust of Japanese Americans which precipitated Roosevelt’s order. The rest of the film details the violence and trauma experienced by the internees, both while incarcerated and (following the Monterey Petition) after they were permitted to return home.
As emotionally difficult as some of this film’s moments were, there were some pleasant surprises in it, particularly regarding some of the biggest proponents of the petition. It’s revealed that signatories included none other than marine biologist Ed Ricketts, classic novelist John Steinbeck, and prominent photographer Edward Weston. Steinbeck’s editor, Toni Jackson, penned the petition itself. While the document as it stands is so important, the famous faces attached to it add another layer of interest. It’s especially moving to see the sons, daughters, and others identify the signatures of their parents/relatives signatures and speak to the principles behind why they likely signed the petition.
Schendel’s film is a testament to the power of activism and how small acts can make a big difference. It tells a concise, linear narrative of events and the moving words from survivors and descendants, both of those incarcerated and the petition’s signatories, offer supporting first and secondhand perspectives of the tragic period. 4.5 stars. Would recommend.
Which library audiences would benefit from viewing Enduring Democracy: The Monterey Petition?
The multi-subject knowledge to be gained from this documentary makes it an excellent candidate for library programming, both for a screening event and as a part of formal DVD collections. Its focus on Japanese immigration and internment makes it especially valuable to show during AAPI Heritage Month, when patrons of almost any age group can learn something new and come away with a different perspective on race in America. Would-be activists can also take a page from this film, encouraged by the potentially positive results that spark tangible change.
What academic subjects or media education courses would benefit from this documentary film?
Enduring Democracy: The Monterey Petition is perfect for courses teaching with film, and its age-inclusive content gives it usability and interest across a wide academic range. The contexts behind the incarcerations would be well suited for a political science or an American (and Asian) history course, while the activism on the part of the petitioners is an excellent case study for a civil rights course. The film could also be part of a broader discussion or unit on forced internment collectively (as one historian interviewee points out) with the Holocaust and the practice of reservations for Indigenous peoples.
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