Evening Lecture for Constitution Day

National Archives at Kansas City
Kansas City, MO

Dr. Allan W. Austin, professor of history at Misericordia University in Dallas, Pennsylvania, will discuss Ambassadors of Goodwill: Japanese-American Student Resettlement during World War II. Dr. Austin’s lecture will focus on Japanese-American college students who faced a series of crises after Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor. The lecture will explore the ways in which the students responded, thinking about the short- and long-term implications for both the students and the wider American society. This year marks the 75th anniversary of Executive Order 9066 signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on February 19, 1942, which authorized the incarceration of Japanese-Americans (as well as German-Americans and Italian-Americans) to concentration camps. Austin is an immigration historian with a primary focus on investigating the contested meanings of race and American identity, especially in the 20th century United States. He has explored these issues in his books, including From Concentration Camp to Campus: Japanese-American Students and World War II. Austin earned his doctorate degree from the University of Cincinnati, and both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Bowling Green State University. This program is presented in partnership with Park University and will be held on the campus of Park University, 8700 NW River Park Drive, Parkville, MO in the Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel