HISTORY OF TERMINAL ISLAND RECOUNTED IN NEW BOOK
RELEASED BY PORT OF LOS ANGELES

‘Terminal Island: Lost Communities of Los Angeles Harbor’ Chronicles
Lives of L.A.’s Japanese-American Population

SAN PEDRO, Calif. — June 16, 2015 — “Terminal Island: Lost Communities of Los Angeles Harbor,” a historical account of the denizens of Terminal Island, has been released by the Port of Los Angeles and Angel City Press.

The book records life and industry on the island from early settlers in the mid-1800s to the aftermath of World War II.  Today, Terminal Island houses much of the Port’s cargo operations, but years ago it was home to thousands of Japanese-Americans, who were later removed from the island after Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

“Terminal lsland: Lost Communities of Los Angeles Harbor” is written by author/journalist Naomi Hirahara and former Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Geraldine Knatz, Ph.D.  It is co-published by the Port of Los Angeles and Angel City Press. The book is available for purchase at the Japanese-American Museum, Los Angeles Maritime Museum, Point Fermin Lighthouse, and San Pedro Bay Historical Society. It is also part of the collection at the Los Angeles Public Library.

According to a recent review in the Los Angeles Times by book critic David L. Ulin,“…what they have uncovered, and preserved, for us, is yet another counter-narrative, a deepening of the story of Los Angeles, a story marked by deep layers, contradictions, a story we don’t often like to tell ourselves.”

With more than 230 images in color and black-and-white, the historical text outlines the spirit of a place that few Angelenos have visited – a sheltered spot in the Pacific Ocean that once served as a resort for wealthy, then a refuge for artists, and lastly a thriving community of Japanese fisherman and their families. The book’s inscription sets the tone for the historical read, aptly stated, “To the people of the lost communities: you are not forgotten.”

In 2002, the Port of Los Angeles dedicated the Terminal Island Memorial Monument to honor the 3,000 residents of the Japanese fishing village on Terminal Island who resided there until they were relocated during World War II. For more information, visit www.portoflosangeles.org.