WE HEREBY REFUSE

A curriculum guide to accompany We Hereby Refuse. This graphic novel presents three stories of resilience and protest to the incarceration of Japanese Americans during WWII

ABOUT THIS LESSON PLAN

GLE 7 & 11 Social Studies

Three voices. Three acts of defiance. One mass injustice. This new graphic novel We Hereby Refuse presents an original vision of America’s past with disturbing links to the American present. Japanese Americans complied when expelled from their homes in World War II and forcibly incarcerated in American concentration camps – but when it came to their ongoing imprisonment, many among them refused to submit without a fight.

For the first time, three of their stories are tied together within an epic narrative of the entire camp experience. Hear about the creation of this groundbreaking book by authors Frank Abe and Tamiko Nimura with illustrations by Ross Ishikawa and Matt Sasaki.

Co-published by the Wing Luke Museum and Chin Music Press, this project was funded, in part, by a grant from the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, and Japanese American Confinement Sites Grant Program.

GRAPHIC NOVEL EDUCATOR GUIDE

This guide examines how some contested the incarceration of Japanese Americans

ORDER THE BOOK

Secure a copy of the graphic novel. Currently, it is only available in print. You can order a copy here

JAPANESE AMERICAN HISTORY CURRICULUM

Check out our museum curriculum on Japanese Americans.

VIDEO TRAINING

Watch this video short training with one of the authors and illustrators, Tamiko Nimura, Frank Abe and Ross Ishikawa.

Script by Frank Abe
Story by Frank Abe and Tamiko Nimura

JIM AKUTSU MITSUYE ENDO
Artwork by Ross Ishikawa

HIROSHI KASHIWAGI
Artwork by Matt Sasaki

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Contact the Wing Luke Museum Education Department for additional resources and coaching on classroom implementation

MUSEUM EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING & TOURS

Our lessons extend seamlessly to the onsite museum for school tours for every grade level. Wing Luke Museum educator professionals can create engaging experiences to put this curriculum in context.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Wing Luke Museum workshops provide K-12 educators an opportunity to enrich and revitalize their teaching through the study of humanities topics that bear upon K-12 education.