The Crane Fable Project was inspired by a chance discovery of the Japanese American Memorial in Washington, DC. The director of the piece spent a number of years living and working in Honolulu, HI and learned about the history of 100th Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Unit during that time.

While the story as it exists in the context of the play may seem very simple, each point of the story was inspired by the events of this period of WWII. The Young Crane and his journey echoes the trials of the young Japanese Americans who were sent to the internment camps, but chose to fight in the US Army. Many other paralells can be found throughout the play, down to a nugget of on of FDR's speeches about Pearl Harbor.

This story is kept alive, in part, by the work of the National Japanese American Memorial Foundation. This group works to keep the memory and the history of these events present in our society. Among other things, they curate the Freedom Walk during the Cherry Blossom Festival each Spring. 

You can explore their website at www.njamf.com.

Eyewitness: Stories and Interviews From Those Who Were There

An Interview with Cal Shintani, Board Member at National Japanese memorial Foundation and Son of a 442nd veteran

An Interview with Jane A., who was interned in Poston, Arizona as a child

Interviews with Reiko and Kuge, who were both interned in various camps as children