Fight

We’ve been here before. In 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt ordered the internment of Japanese Americans.[1] One of the assembly centers was in my hometown, Salinas, California.[2] Growing up, I heard stories about people who protected the land owned by Japanese neighbors, acting as stewards until internment ended. But others took advantage.

Most white Americans stayed silent. A few religious organizations spoke out. The Michigan Methodist Conference adopted its social service committee’s report, stating “the public fears were groundless and that internment although as humane as possible is at the price of great suffering.”[3] The International Disciples of Christ also protested.[4] Densho Encyclopedia documents a few more, including a high school student named Ralph Lazo.[5]

In 1942, Lazo showed more courage than most.[6] When his high school friends were interned, he joined them in a show of solidarity and protest, telling his father he was “going to camp.” He is the only known person not of Japanese descent not married to a Japanese internee to voluntarily enter internment.  Apparently, authorities did not even ask about his heritage: he once explained “They didn’t ask . . . Being brown has its advantages.”[7] He stayed until 28 November 1944, when he entered the United States Army.[8]

Ralph Lazo’s parents were likely both born in Mexico.[9] His mother died in 1933.[10] By 1935, Ralph, his father, and his sister Virginia lived in Los Angeles, where Ralph “often ate at the homes of Nisei friends—second-generation Japanese Americans.”[11]

After the war, Ralph went to college, taught, and raised funds for a lawsuit to seek reparations for interned Japanese Americans.[12]

Masked, plain-clothed men are snatching people off the street, disappearing them to places unknown. Whatever you wish people had done in 1942, do that. Be brave like Ralph Lazo. Fight.

[1] Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Executive_Order_9066), “Executive Order 9066,” rev. 27 March 2025, 13:10. All websites visited 30 March 2025.

[2] Densho (https://encyclopedia.densho.org/Salinas_(detention_facility)), “Salinas (detention facility,” rev. 22 January 2024, 10:49.

[3] “Methodists Protest Internment of Japs,” St. Joseph News-Press (St. Joseph, Missouri), 13 June 1942, p. 10, col. 5; OldNews (www.oldnews.com).

[4] “Disciples of Christ Protest Internment,” The Sacramento (California) Bee, 1 Aug 1942, p. 4, col. 7; Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com/image/617545516). 

[5] Densho (https://encyclopedia.densho.org/Ralph_Lazo), “Ralph Lazo,” rev. 20 May 2024, 21:41.

[6] Ibid.

[7] Cecilia Rasmussen, “Following his beliefs led him to Manzanar,” The Los Angeles (California) Times, 27 May 2007, p. B2, cols. 1-6; imaged, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com/image/194144007).

FindAGrave (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/153054075/ralph-lazo), memorial 153054075, Ralph Lazo (3 Nov 1924–1 Jan 1992), Glen Haven Memorial Park, Sylmar, California; maintained by Jax (ID 48121323).

[8] “U.S., Final Accountability Rosters of Evacuees at Relocation Centers, 1942–1946,” database with images, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2982/records/31692), Ralph Lazo.

[9] California State Board of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, birth certificate no. 17059 (1924), Ralph Lazo Houston; imaged, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9SF-P9VS-4). In 1973, Ralph’s birth certificate was amended, noting that “Houston” was his father’s maternal last name. California Department of Public Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, amended birth certificate no. 24–076946, issued 1973, Ralph Lazo; imaged, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9SF-P9VM-1).

[10] “Mexico, Chihuahua, Civil Registration, 1861–1997,” database with images, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-G5C8-9SWT), Rosa Padilla de Lazo, d. 16 Feb 1933. The registration lists Juan, Rafael, and Virginia, names that comport with John, Ralph, and Virginia.

[11] 1940 U.S. census, Los Angeles, California, Los Angeles, enumeration district (ED) 60-1015, sheet 4A, household 88, Ralph (15) in household of John H. Lazo; imaged, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2442/records/69200182). 

Rasmussen, “Following his beliefs led him to Manzanar.”

[12] Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralph_Lazo), “Ralph Lazo,” rev. 2 March 2025, 22:08.