The Bainbridge Island Japanese American Community and Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial Association invite the public to join them Sunday, March 30th, as they commemorate the 83rd anniversary of the forced removal of Japanese American friends and neighbors from Bainbridge Island during WWII.

Date: Sunday, March 30, 2025

Time: 11 am – noon, approximately

Location: Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial, located in Pritchard Park (4195 Eagle Harbor Dr NE, Bainbridge Island). A program will be held on the upper grounds. Seating is limited. Attendees may bring their own chairs.

Parking: On-site parking is reserved for survivors, speakers, and people with disabilities.

Complimentary Shuttle: Off-site parking is located at Hyla School (7861 Bucklin Hill Rd NE, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110  and across the street at the American Legion Hall. Available after 9:30 am – 1:00 pm

Community Scanning Day: 1:30 pm Bainbridge Island Museum of Art (550 Winslow Way E. Bainbridge Island, WA 98110). Sponsored by BIJAEMA and Densho. Sign up here.

The Commemoration will be held at 11 am – noon at the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial. The memorial is located at the historic ferry dock landing where the first of more than 120,000 individuals of Japanese descent—two-thirds of whom were American citizens—were forced from their homes and confined to concentration camps during World War II. Executive Order 9066 was signed President Franklin D. Roosevelt on February 19, 1942.

This year’s program centers around the theme “A Place to Call Home,” exploring the powerful impact we can make as friends and neighbors in fostering a culture of acceptance. Bainbridge Island had one of the highest percentages of formerly incarcerated residents return home after WWII—what made this community different?

Speakers include:

• Elilai Abraham, the Suquamish Tribe
• Debra Grindeland, Yonsei, teacher at Woodward Middle School
• Karen Beierle, Bainbridge resident for more than 60 years
• Ellen Sato Faust, Executive Director, Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial Association
• Clarence Moriwaki, Bainbridge Island City Council member
• Greg Nance, WA State Representative, District 23
• Ken Matsudaira and Mariko Green, with a reading of the 276 names

Following the program, Densho and BIJAEMA will hold a Community Scanning Day at the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art. Densho’s archives staff will be there to assist in digitizing photos and artifacts of Japanese families from pre-WWII and the exclusion periods. Sign up here to reserve your spot and receive additional details.