The Issei of the Salinas Valley: Japanese Pioneer Families
This book is a tribute to the Issei, the first generation of Japanese to come to the United States, specifically the Salinas Valley. It is meant to serve as a recognition and remembrance of their lives to ensure their contributions and experiences will be remembered.
“The contributions and patriotism of Japanese Americans, even in the face of the injustice is both impressive and inspiring.”
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“It’s a wonderful picture history book with narrations of family, how life was, and the work these Japanese did.”
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“The lessons we learn from this history will lay the foundation for all of our futures.”
About the Author
Mae Sakasegawa had a long-standing interest in the history of the Japanese community in Salinas, perhaps fueled by the years she and her family spent at Poston Internment Camp in Arizona during World War II. This interest, and her desire to create a record of the stories she had heard all her life, led to a massive undertaking which she began in the late 1990s. She was tenacious in her desire to see it through, with the first publication released around 2007.
