Staff Pick of the Week
Last week, UWM Special Collections hosted a Creative Nonfiction class and one of the books we pulled for students to look at was the artist book Deeply Honored by Fred Hagstrom, printed in 2010 in Northfield Minnesota for his Strong Silent Type Press in an edition of 25 copies.
I was initially drawn to Deeply Honored because I love screen-printing and was intrigued by the color choices Hagstrom made in reproducing historical photographs. The book is quite moving and tells the story of the internment of Japanese Americans in the United States during World War II. Carleton College located in Northfield, Minnesota participated in the efforts of the Student Relocation Council which offered scholarships to Japanese American students so they could leave the camps and pursue their educations. Frank Masao Shigemura was the first of twelve students to come to Carleton during the war. Frank Shigemura spent one year at Carleton and fully immersed himself in student life and was a member of the swim team. He felt a call to serve his country and joined the Army Enlisted Reserve, but was rejected for service because of his ancestry even though he was born in the United States. The dean of Carleton College, Lindsey Blayney, began writing letters on Frank’s behalf, attesting to his character and sense of patriotism.
Frank Shigemura served in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and participated in the liberation of “The Lost Battalion.” He was killed in France on October 20, 1944. He was 23 years old. Carleton College published a “Gold Star” booklet as a memorial for the 54 Carleton men killed in the war. In response to the booklet, Frank’s parents Mr. and Mrs. Shigemura sent a letter expressing their gratitude to the school, writing:
“We deeply feel honored in having Frank's picture in a memorial booklet honoring Carleton College gold star men. It is hard to realize that Frank will never return. I can only say that I am thankful that he was able to serve his country, God and us all. I shall always be proud to be the mother of a true American. Frank has often mentioned in his letters about the fair treatment and kindness he received from both the faculty and the students of Carleton College. I cannot find words adequate enough to fully express our thanks. We are ever and ever so grateful to you all."
Included with the letter was a financial contribution to the school, one of many that would follow in the coming years despite the Shigemuras limited income. The school tried to dissuade them from sending money but the Shigemuras continued to, citing their appreciation of the school in preserving Frank’s memory. Carleton College established a Frank Shigemura Scholarship and eventually created a room in his honor in the Willis Memorial Hall. Frank’s parents Takejuro and Kaye Shigemura felt a connection to the Carleton for the rest of their lives and left their estate to school. Deeply Honored was designed and printed by Fred Hagstrom. The images and letters featured in the book are from the Densho Archive and the Carleton College Archives.
UWM Special Collections holds a number of Fred Hagstrom’s books. View more of our Tumblr posts about his work here.
–Sarah, Special Collections Graduate Intern
