About the Commission Hearings Project

The Commission Hearings podcast is a historical audio documentary series that preserves and shares the powerful testimonies from the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians (CWRIC). These hearings represent a pivotal moment in American history when survivors of Japanese American incarceration spoke truth to power.

Through this podcast, we bring these testimonies to a wider audience, ensuring that the voices of those who experienced this injustice continue to educate and inspire future generations about civil rights, constitutional protection, and the ongoing work of seeking justice.

In 1980, the United States Congress established the CWRIC to investigate the circumstances surrounding Executive Order 9066, which led to the forced removal and incarceration of over 120,000 Japanese Americans during World War II.

Between July 1981 and December 1981, the Commission held hearings across the United States, collecting testimony from more than 750 witnesses. These included former incarcerees, government officials, historians, and legal experts. The testimonies revealed:

• The profound personal and economic losses suffered by Japanese American families
• The absence of military necessity or national security justification for mass incarceration
• The role of racism, war hysteria, and political failures in enabling Executive Order 9066
• The constitutional violations and fundamental injustice of the incarceration

The Commission's 1983 report, Personal Justice Denied, concluded that the incarceration was not justified by military necessity but was instead the result of "race prejudice, war hysteria, and a failure of political leadership."

This powerful indictment, supported by the testimonies gathered during the hearings, catalyzed the Redress Movement, leading to the Civil Liberties Act of 1988. Signed by President Ronald Reagan, the Act:

• Issued a formal apology from the U.S. government
• Provided $20,000 in reparations to each surviving incarceree
• Established a public education fund to prevent similar injustices
• Acknowledged the fundamental constitutional and civil rights violations

The Commission Hearings podcast exists to ensure these testimonies remain accessible and relevant. We believe that hearing directly from survivors—in their own words—creates a deeper understanding of:

• The human cost of constitutional failures
• The importance of vigilance in protecting civil liberties
• The power of truth-telling and advocacy in achieving justice
• The resilience and courage of Japanese American communities

These stories matter not only as historical documentation but as ongoing lessons about democracy, justice, and the work required to protect the rights of all people, especially marginalized communities.