Internment through the Lens of Steveston’s Japanese Canadians

Procedure

Prepare to work with archival records:

• • Discuss with the class what an archival record is and how an archive acquires records.
  • Discuss with the class the differences between primary and secondary sources.
  • Review how to handle archival records. Refer to the “Welcome to the Richmond Archives Reference Room” rules.
• Analyzing archival records:
  • Create eight stations. Each station will focus on one of eight files.
  • Divide the class into groups, give each student an “archival record analysis” handout, and assign each group to one of the eight stations.
  • Each group will analyze their set of archival records in the file according to the “file description” handout and answer the questions on the “archival record analysis” handout.
  • Groups will rotate to a new station and repeat the process of

1. analyzing their new set of archival records.
2. answering the questions on a new “archival record analysis” handout (each student will have a total of eight handouts at the end of the activity).
   • Remind students to place archival records in their original order, which are numbered for convenience.

• Class discussion:
  • • What is the process that archivists use when handling archival records?
      • What type of records are held in archives?
      • Why is it important to maintain the original order of documents in a file?
        • Suggested answer: the order of documents may change the author’s narrative and/or argument
      • What is the process historians use when analyzing primary sources?
        • Why is voice, perspective, bias, and authorship important?
      • Review students’ answers for each set of archival records.
        • What do the archival records tell us about the experiences of the Japanese Canadian population in Steveston before, during, and after internment?

Procedure

• Prepare to work with the Harada family photo albums:
  • Discuss with the class what an archival record is and how an archives acquires records.
  • Discuss with the class the differences between primary and secondary sources.
  • Review how to handle archival records. Refer to the “Welcome to the Richmond Archives Reference Room” rules.
  • Review the context of the Harada family photo albums.
• Analyze the Harada family photo albums:
  • Divide the class into groups and
    • assign each group one of the five themes (labour, family, culture, entertainment, home).

OR

• Assign the same theme to all groups.

• Give each group a photo booklet and the corresponding “photo analysis” handout that matches their assigned theme.
• Each group will look through the photo booklet, select five photographs that match their theme, and discuss/answer the questions on their “photo analysis” handout.
• Groups will present their findings to the whole class at the end of the activity by

1. taking photographs out of the album to showcase their selection.
2. sharing their questions and answers on their “photo analysis” handout.
   • Remind students to place photographs in their original order. The photographs are numbered and labeled for convenience.

• Class discussion:
  • What do the Harada family photo albums tell us about the experiences of Japanese Canadians before, during, and after internment.
  • What is a home? What does it mean to lose your home (both a physical home and sense of belonging)?