They Called Us Enemy

by

George Takei

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Wayne Collins, a Californian lawyer, dedicates many years to fighting for Japanese Americans’ rights during and after World War II. He first challenges the constitutionality of Executive Order 9066, which legalized incarcerating Japanese Americans in internment camps. Later, he dedicates his efforts to fighting the effects of H.R. 4103. The bill gives Japanese Americans, mostly Nisei, the supposed right to give up their citizenship and be deported to Japan. He believes this is unconstitutional and ridiculous, so he represents almost 1000 Nisei—including Mama—and saves most of them from being deported. The memoir casts Mr. Collins as a hero, as he saw the treatment of Japanese Americans as wrong and horrific when that was still a wildly unpopular stance.
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Wayne Collins Character Timeline in They Called Us Enemy

The timeline below shows where the character Wayne Collins appears in They Called Us Enemy. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
They Called Us Enemy
American Democracy and Civic Engagement Theme Icon
Racism and War Theme Icon
A lawyer from San Francisco, Wayne Collins , has challenged Order 9066 to the Supreme Court. Now, he dedicates himself to helping... (full context)
American Democracy and Civic Engagement Theme Icon
Two days before the ship is supposed to depart, Wayne Collins files habeas corpus suits for almost 1000 plaintiffs. The next day, a Japanese American attorney,... (full context)
American Democracy and Civic Engagement Theme Icon
...from deportation means that the family can move anywhere in the U.S. George believes that Wayne Collins determined his destiny, as well as that of many other Japanese Americans. (full context)