Burbank proclaims Day of Remembrance; resident recalls family’s 1942 removal

Tamela Takahashi, mayor of the City of Burbank, read a proclamation declaring Feb. 19, 2026, a Day of Remembrance for the forced removal and incarceration of people of Japanese ancestry during World War II. The proclamation cites President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s 1942 Executive Order 9066 and notes the later federal redress embodied in the Civil Liberties Act of 1988.

Nancy Takayama of the San Fernando Valley Japanese American Community Center joined the council at the podium and a speaker who identified herself as the daughter of a woman taken in 1942 described the long separation her family endured. The witness said her father was moved through multiple detention sites before reuniting with his family about 18 months later. The speaker urged residents to “know your rights” and accepted printed reference cards left in the lobby for the public.

The proclamation notes Burbank’s role as a local reporting point for Japanese American residents ordered to register and prepares the community to reflect on the “immeasurable hardship and injustice” that followed the order. Mayor Takahashi said observing the day is intended as a reminder to protect civil liberties and guard against discrimination.

City officials displayed historic posters and photographs related to local reporting and postwar transitional housing in Burbank; the mayor said some images of the Winona trailer camp and related materials are available in the lobby for residents to view.

The council’s recognition did not propose any new policy action but framed the observance as a civic commitment to remembering past wrongs and educating the public.