World War II brought fear to California. Coastline dotted with watch towers, stretches of cliffs barricaded with barbed wire, and entire towns were blackouts at night. After Pearl Harbor, Californians feared a surprise attack. Lockheed Air Terminal, located in Burbank northwest of Los Angeles downtown; was responsible for building P-38 fighters, Hudson, and B-17 bombers. Lockheed plant and runways disguise from a potential Japanese attack by camouflaging the terminals as grain field and houses, while the parking lots were covered over with netting to appear as alfalfa fields [Figure 1A-C]. Despite engineering ingenuity, companies in Los Angeles were aware that America was at war with three formidable adversaries; therefore, it had to prepare
…show more content…
Soon after, President Roosevelt issued the Executive Order 9066 (1942), forcibly removing Japanese Americans from the West Coast into concentration camps. Overnight, Little Tokyo in Los Angeles became a ghost town. Consequently, previous hotels, stores, and Buddhist temples were closed down by the city with no court hearings or process of law. The Japanese community was a victim of the biggest, most democratic forced mass migration in the history of the United States. (Mass Migrations Forged). Meanwhile, African Americans faced significant housing shortage due to restricted housing covenants that barred people of color living in white neighborhoods. As Japanese American were forced to relocate in concentration camps, African Americans had no other choice but to settle in Little Tokyo. The financial impact of Japanese leaving Little Tokyo forced businesses to welcome African Americans; allowing them into dinners, hotels, and stores; hitherto forbidden to them in the South. Additionally, Bankers encouraged newcomers to rent and open businesses, heretofore managed by Japanese workers. African Americans began to own shoe shine parlors, small cafes, and dinners. The area known as Little Tokyo transformed into the African American enclave during World War II after Japanese American were evicted from their homes and placed into United States confinements. By 1943, African American people in business formed the Bronzeville Chamber of Commerce and declared that the area was no longer Little
Soon after, President Roosevelt issued the Executive Order 9066 (1942), forcibly removing Japanese Americans from the West Coast into concentration camps. Overnight, Little Tokyo in Los Angeles became a ghost town. Consequently, previous hotels, stores, and Buddhist temples were closed down by the city with no court hearings or process of law. The Japanese community was a victim of the biggest, most democratic forced mass migration in the history of the United States. (Mass Migrations Forged). Meanwhile, African Americans faced significant housing shortage due to restricted housing covenants that barred people of color living in white neighborhoods. As Japanese American were forced to relocate in concentration camps, African Americans had no other choice but to settle in Little Tokyo. The financial impact of Japanese leaving Little Tokyo forced businesses to welcome African Americans; allowing them into dinners, hotels, and stores; hitherto forbidden to them in the South. Additionally, Bankers encouraged newcomers to rent and open businesses, heretofore managed by Japanese workers. African Americans began to own shoe shine parlors, small cafes, and dinners. The area known as Little Tokyo transformed into the African American enclave during World War II after Japanese American were evicted from their homes and placed into United States confinements. By 1943, African American people in business formed the Bronzeville Chamber of Commerce and declared that the area was no longer Little