2021 marks the 75th anniversary of artist Miné Okubo’s graphic memoir, Citizen 13660. When it was first published in 1946, it was groundbreaking. Not only was it the first book-length account on America’s concentration camps from the perspective of a former incarceree, but it was also an early example of a graphic memoir. In Citizen 13660, through a series of nearly 200 illustrations, each accompanied by a caption, Miné Okubo captured how World War II and the subsequent incarceration upended her life. 

JANM is uniquely positioned to commemorate the milestone anniversary of this iconic work as a custodian of Miné Okubo’s collection, which includes: myriad sketches that she completed while she was incarcerated at Tanforan and Topaz detention centers, the original drawings that she created for the graphic memoir, as well as a draft of the final manuscript.

For the first time, the materials comprising Miné Okubo’s masterpiece will be exhibited, revealing the art of Citizen 13660.