The Hannan Family 

Joan of Arc and Her Little Sister

 

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Summary

This chapter tells the story of the Hannan family, allies to incarcerated Japanese through political advocacy and friendship. Prior to WWII, Irish American Lawrence Hannan worked as  property lawyer living with his wife and three children in Chicago, Illinois. With the onset of war. he was called to activite duty as an Army reserve officer. In May 1945, after war in Europe ended, instead of returning to his civilian

job, he signed on as a project lawyer at Amache,

a Colorado incarceration camp. He later

transferred to the Tule Lake Segregation

Center "dislloyals" were sent. where  Living
and working in the camps, the Hannan family

worked hard to befriend the inmates, which

was discouraged by camp adminstrators.

At night, Lawrence Hannan tried to help Nisei

who had renounced American  their citizenship

and were facing deportation to Japan, a country

hey had never seen. Nell acted as  a social

worker, and teen-aged Mari and12-year-old

Helen fought civil injustices through friendship.
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Discussion Questions 

• Describe the power of creating community with those that
  are different from you. 

• What does it mean to be a true ally or co-conspirator?
  Why is it necessary for white people to bear witness to t
  racial injustice?

• How did the Hannans' family history influence their decisions to become activists?

• How did they use their positions in the incarceration camps to combat institutional oppression? 

• How do photographs serve as vital historical records?

• What do friendship and community mean to you? 

• What are the possible impacts of proposed changes to birthright citizenship?

 

Key concepts

• Unlawful internment/incarceration – right to due process 

• Equal protection under the law 

• Right to property 

• Citizenship/naturalization