Nights with the Museum: Historic Wintersburg, Huntington Beach – “A Coastal Monument to the Japanese American Experience”

Historic Wintersburg on the coast in Huntington Beach embodies three generations of the Japanese American experience, from immigration in the late nineteenth century to the return from the federal incarceration camps following World War II. It is a very rare surviving remnant of a century-old Japantown. Find out about this fascinating site, its recent challenges, and its path forward through this talk with Ernie Nishii, an attorney and president of the Historic Wintersburg Conservancy in Huntington Beach who is involved with many community and educational organizations.

Mr. Nishii states that “History is not a textbook. It is lived.” He will discuss Historic Wintersburg, a historic site key to Southern California’s Japanese American history. His talk will dispel myths and stereotypes about Huntington Beach and describe how the area welcomed and supported immigrant farmworkers. His talk will also be a precautionary tale regarding how national prejudices weakened and even destroyed communities after World War II and how our country can thrive through understanding of the past.