Created by prominent scholars and educators, this free, self-guided homeschooling resource is a perfect fit for middle and high school students learning U.S. and WWII history. 

SUBJECT: WWII HISTORY & JAPANESE AMERICAN INCARCERATION
FORMAT: HISTORICAL SHORT FILM & EDUCATIONAL WEBSITE
CURRICULUM: MEETS K-12 LEARNING STANDARDS FOR 48 U.S. STATES
COST: FREE
LEARNING TIME: 1 HOUR

THE STORY:

February 1942. President Roosevelt has just signed Executive Order 9066, which authorizes the forced removal of 120,000 ethnic Japanese from their homes and into incarceration camps throughout the U.S. The short film follows Koji Oshima, proud owner of a small grocery store, as he prepares to abandon everything and report to an assembly center.

WATCH THE TRAILER:

THE WEBSITE:

On the website, the movie is shown in four chapters. Between chapters, you will be invited to examine archival documents and images, as well as oral histories from Japanese Americans, who offer their own memories of this time period. After you are finished exploring this material, feel free to move on to the next chapter by clicking the link at the bottom of the page.

Note: Some primary sources may contain offensive racial epithets, and are included on this site solely for historical accuracy and context.

EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE:

With a curriculum that meets K-12 learning standards for 48 U.S. states, this experience can serve as a launching point for more in-depth discussion. Suggested questions and links to more resources and curricula are provided in the Teacher’s Resources section. Citations for the archival materials are also provided, and are available both by chapter or type of material.

The Orange Story movie and website were developed in partnership with a team of filmmakers, educators, and scholars. A full list of credits is provided here.