Lawrence DiStasi to Speak at 
Japanese American National Museum
Saturday,  July 13 at 1:30 PM, Downtown Los Angeles

    Lawrence DiStasi, editor of the recently published "Una Storia Segreta": 
The Secret History of Italian American Evacuation and Internment During World 
War II" (Heyday Books: 2001), will discuss his latest research on the wartime 
experiences of the 600,000 Italian enemy aliens restricted nationwide, on July 
13, at the Japanese American National Museum. 

    His remarks will give special emphasis to the experience of Italian 
Americans in California, where the government measures against Italian enemy 
aliens included not only searches, seizures of property, internment and 
exclusion, but also a mass evacuation from prohibited zones, a dusk to dawn 
curfew, and devastating effects on the Italian-dominated fishing industry. 
    
    A panel discussion will follow, offering a forum to examine both 
similiarites and differences in the experiences of the Italian and Japanese 
communities respectively. It will also seek to open the discussion to 
comparisons with current government measures in response to the events of 
September 11. Audience participation will be encouraged. 

    Copies of  "Una Storia Segreta"will be available at a book signing to 
conclude the program.