Sundown in Topaz (short story)

Short story about an Issei man in Topaz during the time of the loyalty questionnaire . Shojiro Mikawa, a grandfather from Hiroshima, is incarcerated in Topaz with his family. His close friend, Tanimoto, is among those in the camp who is organizing resistance to the questionnaire. He attends a meeting led by Tanimoto that advocates refusing to answer the questionnaire. However an informant at the meeting has reported to the camp administration the names of all who attended. Called before the camp director, Mikawa is ordered to tell what he knows about the organization of the meeting or else be sent to Tule Lake and thus separated from his family.

"Sundown in Topaz" was published in the Long Beach State University publication Echoes from Gold Mountain: An Asian American Journal in 1982. Author Tatsuno was born after the war to Nisei parents who had been incarcerated at Topaz. There was actual group of Issei at Topaz who organized to resist the questionnaire , though the details of what transpired differ from how they are depicted in this story.

Might also like " The Brothers Murata " by Toshio Mori; " Changes " by Marnie Mueller; " A Letter " by Sasabune Sasaki