Interview with Sumiye Jarreau-Horton

Oral history interview with Sumiye Jarreau-Horton conducted by Max McGrath, Gabe Williams V, and Eddie Wuerthele on March 28, 2025. Jarreau-Horton was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Her Great Grandmother was born in California. Due to racism in 20th century America, her great-grandparents were sent to an internment camp in Arizona, where her grandparents were born. Jarreau-Horton’s grandparents were “Americanized” and the culture continued to later generations. Neither her grandmother nor posterity learned Japanese. Her grandmother didn’t know she was born in an internment camp until taking a history class in highschool. Jarreau-Horton doesn’t know much else about her ancestors’ histories, as it is in Japanese culture not to talk about such matters. Despite not having all of the details, she still has multitudes of information to share about being a descendent of Japanese immigrants. In the interview, Jarreau-Horton discussed what she does know about her ancestors’ stories, how being of Japanese descent has impacted her daily life, the struggles she faces, and how she plans to preserve her family’s rich history.