“What is an American? Is he white, black, yellow, red or any other certain color? It is generally conceded that he is any one of these or a mixture of them all. That is one of the principles of our constitution, is it not?” wrote Sergeant George Yamauchi to the Pasco Herald on December 15, 1943. Prior to writing this article, George, then a student at the University of Washington, had been expelled from his home in Seattle and taken to Minidoka Internment Camp in Idaho. Later, the Yamauchi family’s home was demolished for the reconstruction of the Lewis Street Bridge, the only way African American residents of East Pasco could cross the railroad tracks, which separated them from the rest of their city. This is just one of several untold stories highlighted below.
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Last updated: May 4, 2023