The Washington, D.C. Japanese American Citizens League and the MCPS elementary social studies team collaborated on a graphic novel examining the history and contributions of Japanese Americans. The novel recently won the 2026 Albert B. Corey Award from the American Association for State and Local History.
The novel, “But Where Are You REALLY From?,” is a project of the Washington D.C. Chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL DC) examining the history and contributions of Japanese Americans, helping students recognize themselves as part of the broader American story, and exploring a historical injustice to build awareness and prevent similar harm in the future.
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The novel addresses the Japanese American experience of immigration and arrival; early work as laborers; the challenges of racism, wartime incarceration, and military heroism; and anti-Asian hate. The authors are Japanese Americans who used their lived experience, as well as interviews with elders in their local community.
The authors worked with the elementary social studies team to develop the book and support the 5th grade social studies curriculum, which was launched in 2024. It was originally envisioned as a short instructional resource but grew to a 100-page novel. MCPS requested stories on immigration, the Japanese American incarceration during World War II, and anti-Asian hate crime issues to tie into the Grade 5 curriculum. The book also includes relevant vocabulary words, as well as infographics, maps and historical profiles of nationally significant Japanese Americans. The graphic novel was accepted as part of the MCPS core curriculum and has been distributed digitally to every MCPS elementary school. There are also plans to translate the book into Chinese, French and Spanish.
Linda Adams, former MCPS art teacher and supervisor for fine arts; Janice Faden, former MCPS elementary-level curriculum director, and Tracy Oliver-Gary, MCPS supervisor for PreK-12 Social Studies, presented about the collaboration and the novel at the 2025 National Social Studies Leaders Association and National Council for Social Studies Conferences.
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