Events › Loyal Americans:  The Story of Eden Area Japanese Americans During World War II

This special exhibit will be on display in the lobby of the Castro Valley Library from May 17 to May 24.

Loyal Americans: The Story of Eden Area Japanese Americans During World War II

Relocation. Evacuation. Internment. Imprisonment. Incarceration. These are all words used to describe the forced removal of Japanese and Japanese Americans from the West Coast at the start of World War II.

The stories of those that lived through this period are more relevant today than ever, while we as a society still grapple with issues of immigration, race, and discrimination.

The Eden Area had a large Japanese American population impacted by these events.

Loyal Americans shares the stories of local community members whose civil rights were violated while also showing the courage and bravery of ordinary Americans in extraordinary circumstances.

The exhibit was created by the Hayward Area Historical Society with funding from the JA Community Foundation

This exhibit is honor of One Book, One Coast, the largest book club on the West Coast, unites more than 130 library systems across California, Washington, and Oregon for one shared community read.

In 2026, we’ll be reading They Called Us Enemy by George Takei, a powerful graphic memoir that explores patriotism, family, identity, and what it truly means to be American.