Policies of Two Midwestern Universities During WWII

During World War II, Japanese American Students faced much difficulty in receiving higher education in America because universities didn’t accept students of Japanese ancestry. This part of our exhibition will cover policies regarding the acceptance of these Japanese American students in two universities, the University of Chicago and Knox College. Viewers will learn the reasons for the denial of admission for Japanese Americans, the differences in how each Midwestern university handled Japanese Americans. Viewers can also observe the records of correspondence between students and universities. Viewers might be surprised to learn that even though the two universities are located in the same midwestern area, policies regarding the acceptance of Japanese Americans varied widely. Viewers will also learn about the efforts of a college on the West Coast to try to transfer Japanese American students who were forced to leave the college, and about the organizations that encouraged Japanese Americans to enroll in college. Further analysis of university policies is needed, but it should be noted that some universities did accept students of Japanese ancestry during wartime.

This part was inspired by the correspondence between universities, students, and various organizations regarding admissions of Japanese Americans that was on display during the “Nikkeijin Illinois” exhibition at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, which ran from February 19 to December 10, 2023. Members of this program would like to thank Jason Finkelman, curator of the exhibition, for showing us great research. You can read more information about the exhibition “Nikkeijin Illinois” and the interview article with Jason Finkelman at the links below.

About the exhibition “Nikkeijin Illinois”
https://www.spurlock.illinois.edu/exhibits/profiles/nikkeijin.html

Interview with Jason Finkelman
https://www.spurlock.illinois.edu/blog/p/a-conversation-with/424