The American Writers Museum (AWM) today announced the launch of new virtual exhibit Hisaye Yamamoto: An American Story, celebrating the rich life and works of Asian American author Hisaye Yamamoto. The exhibit follows the twists and turns of Yamamoto’s life, illustrating her impact on society during a time when racial minorities were steeply disadvantaged and fiercely alienated.
In partnership with Google Arts & Culture, the exhibit is featured on AWM’s page and in the online platform’s new hub here dedicated to Asian American and Pacific Islander content.
“Hisaye Yamamoto’s writing fundamentally changed our understanding of the Asian American experience and continues to influence people from all walks of life,” said AWM President Carey Cranston. “It’s a real shame more people don’t know about her.”
Yamamoto was born in 1921 to Japanese immigrant parents and was interned at Poston Internment Camp during WWII. She later fought against racial injustice as a journalist in the 1960s.
Her short stories highlight tense relations between generations and the struggles women face in a patriarchal society. Yamamoto’s work is often compared to the likes of Ernest Hemingway’s for her ability to carefully craft stories packed full of meaning beneath the surface.
Hisaye Yamamoto: An American Story is an extension of the AWM’s My America exhibit, which sheds light on the immigrant experience of many other American writers. Visit online or in person following the AWM’s reopening to the public on May 14, 2021.
To explore AWM online offerings including virtual exhibits, programs, podcasts and more, click here.
About American Writers Museum
The American Writers Museum is the first museum of its kind in the United States. The mission of the American Writers Museum is to engage the public in celebrating American writers and exploring their influence on our history, our identity, and our daily lives. The museum is located at 180 N. Michigan Ave. Chicago, IL 60601, and offers something for every age group including permanent exhibits and special galleries highlighting America’s favorite works and the authors behind them. Tickets to the museum are $14 for adults, $9 for seniors, students, and teachers. Free for members and children ages 12 and under. Groups of 10 or more, including adults, student travel groups, and University students, receive discounted admission. The Museum is temporarily closed to general visitors. For more information visit www.AmericanWritersMuseum.org or call 312-374-8790.
For media inquiries and image requests contact: Karie McGahan
I learned about Hisaye Yamamoto and the incarceration of immigrants and citizens of Japanese descent during World War II in a graduate English course on American Immigrant Literature. I was inspiired by Yamamoto’s literary activism during and after incarceration. Her short stories, articles, and essays provide a keen lens to trauma and resilency of Japanese descended people. I’m glad that Rutgers University Press has keep Yamamoto’s legacy current in their publication of Seventeen Syllables and Other Stories. I hope that her writings are incorporated into courses across the curriculum.