Downtown Seattle in King County, Washington — The American West (Northwest)

Wartime Incarceration

A Brief History of Japanese Americans In Seattle...

— Legacy of Justice at Hirabayashi Place —

Wartime Incarceration Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Douglass Halvorsen, February 20, 2026

1. Wartime Incarceration Marker

Inscription. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor by the Japanese in December 1941, Japanese Americans became the targets of increased hostility and suspicion. The FBI rounded up community leaders; those left behind were subjected to curfews and travel restrictions. In February 1942, President Roosevelt authorized the forced removal of people of Japanese descent from the West Coast. Of the 120,000 people who were incarcerated as a result, two-thirds were American citizens. No evidence of Japanese American disloyalty or sabotage ever emerged.

Reactions to this injustice varied. Many Japanese Americans felt it was best to cooperate with the removal orders as a way of demonstrating loyalty to the United States. Some young men volunteered to serve in the U.S. military; these Nisei soldiers served with distinction. Other Japanese Americans protested their treatment; among them were Minoru Yasui in Oregon, Fred Korematsu in California, and Gordon Hirabayashi in Seattle.

[Captions:]
Jackson Street after forced removal of Japanese Americans, 1942. Courtesy of the Museum of History and Industry.

Soldier nailing up Exclusion Orders on Bainbridge Island, 1942. Courtesy of the Museum of History and Industry.

Japanese American inmates lined up in the rain outside a mess hall at Camp Harmony, Puyallup. Courtesy of the Museum of History and Industry.

Children at Camp Minidoka. Drawing by Amy Nikaitani, from historic photo courtesy of Wing Luke Museum.

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(Marker Number 4.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Asian Americans • War, World II. A significant historical year for this entry is 1942.

Location. 47° 36.024′ N, 122° 19.731′ W. Marker is in Seattle, Washington, in King County. It is in Downtown Seattle. It is on 4th Avenue South, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 214 4th Ave S, Seattle WA 98104, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Washington’s Puget Sound Region.

It is also on the American Pacific Coast,

in the Pacific Northwest,

and in the Lewis & Clark Corridor.

Globally, it is in North America,

in the Cascade Range,

in the Inside Passage,

on the Ring of Fire,

in the Pacific Rim,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Starting Over After the War (here, next to this marker); A Thriving Nihonmachi (here, next to this marker); Japanese Farmers and Alien Land Laws (a few steps from this marker); A Community Takes Root

Photographed by Douglass Halvorsen, February 20, 2026

2. Wartime Incarceration Marker

This is marker four of five markers facing 4th Avenue at Hirabayashi Place.

(within shouting distance of this marker); Reclaiming our Roots (within shouting distance of this marker); Vindication, Healing, and the Legacy of Justice (within shouting distance of this marker); Gordon Hirabayashi (within shouting distance of this marker); Great Northern Tunnel (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Seattle.

Also see . . . Hirabayashi Place (#19).

Although completed in early 2016, Hirabayashi Place is a building that merges the past to the present with a call to the future. Built by InterIm CDA, this seven-story, 96-unit affordable housing project provides a new anchor for Nihonmachi along its western edge.

The building is named in honor of Gordon Hirabayashi. While many Japanese Americans during World War II demonstrated their loyalty to America by serving in the U.S. military, Hirabayashi fought to uphold American values rooted in the U.S. Constitution by defying the evacuation order and curfew. He was arrested and jailed for his actions and fought a long but successful court battle to overturn his convictions and clear his name.

Legacy of Justice
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installations of public art and interpretive elements interweave throughout the building, anchored by a 10′ tall by 8′ artwork by Roger Shimomura, depicting various icons pertaining to Hirabayashi’s life and influence. Start with this artwork located at the south entrance, then explore the building’s outside along Main Street and 4th Avenue for more.

(Submitted on March 26, 2026, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon.)

Credits. This page was last revised on March 29, 2026. It was originally submitted on March 26, 2026, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon. This page has been viewed 9 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on March 26, 2026, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.