The Royal BC Museum joined 13 other Canadian institutions in a project to conduct research and develop a travelling exhibition about the forced dispossession of homes and properties owned by Japanese Canadian citizens during the Second World War.
The project, called Landscapes of Injustice, is supported by a federal government Partnership Grant of $2.5 million. The Royal BC Museum is providing $1.1 million in funding to the seven-year project through a series of in-kind contributions, including designing and hosting a travelling museum exhibition and integrating research findings into the online Learning Portal, an easily-accessible educational platform for K-12 students.
During the Second World War, the federal government systematically forced thousands of Canadian citizens of Japanese ancestry from their homes and then sold their properties, along with profitable businesses, fishing fleets and other possessions, without their consent. The eradication of entire neighbourhoods transformed the lives of Japanese Canadians for generations after the war ended.
“The story of the Japanese Canadian experience during the Second World War is well-documented but perhaps not widely understood by most British Columbians,” said Dr Kathryn Bridge, Royal BC Museum Deputy Director and Head of Knowledge and Academic Relations. 
The Royal BC Museum already has extensive source materials in its archives that document the involuntary appropriation of homes, businesses and other material goods, and the subsequent forced internment of Japanese Canadians. Photos, letters and other archival materials help tell the story in vivid and often painfully personal detail.
The 13 other institutions partnering on the project include universities, museums and Japanese Canadian cultural organizations. The total contribution of the partner organizations, including the Royal BC Museum, is $3 million. All partners will collaborate to host and share public programming about the research findings.
More information can be found at www.landscapesofinjustice.com.