Finding untold stories
04/06/2022
Cierra Long found a trove of information surrounding Bluffton's response to WWII in Musselman Library's archives.
History major learns about Japanese American students at Bluffton during WWII
Cierra Long 鈥23 a history major from Urbana, Ohio, has always been fascinated by history.
鈥淲hile the other kids played outside, I stayed in the house and listened to stories from my grandparents about their childhood,鈥 explained Long.
Now a 小优传媒 student, Long had difficulty narrowing down a topic for her final paper in Dr. Perry Bush鈥檚 Research Seminar course. So, when she expressed interest in writing about the 鈥渋nternal war we put on our own U.S. citizens during wartime,鈥 including German Americans during WWI and Japanese Americans during WWII, Bush shared a little-known piece of Bluffton history that she latched onto.
鈥淚 eventually said something about Japanese internment, and he said, 鈥楧id you know Bluffton College actually had students from internment camps during WWII,鈥欌 explained Long. 鈥淚t was such a cool find, but we don鈥檛 have a lot of information at Bluffton.鈥
For the 30-page paper, Long provided a broad overview of the National Japanese American Student Relocation Council and completed a cross-examination of efforts at Bluffton, Earlham College and Oberlin College to enroll interred students.
Four students in total came to Bluffton: Robert Kumata, Richard Okada, Shigeru Matsunaga, and Midori Florence Higa. Kumata finished his studies at Bluffton, Okada transferred due to his major. Matsunaga left because of financial reasons. And Higa left to care for her ailing mother in Montana. Of the four, Kumata and Okada spent the most time on campus.
While she found several first-hand accounts from Nisei (the term for children of Japanese-born immigrants) students at Earlham and Oberlin, Long鈥檚 research at Bluffton led her to a trove of letters from Dr. Lloyd Ramseyer outlining his efforts to bring students to Bluffton. Ramseyer served from 1938-1965 as Bluffton鈥檚 fourth president.
鈥淓ven though we weren鈥檛 as successful as some other colleges in getting students here, I thought it was amazing that Lloyd Ramseyer and the college never stopped trying,鈥 said Long, who also found information in Musselman Library鈥檚 archives from the 鈥淏luffton News鈥 and 鈥淭he Witmarsum鈥 student newspaper.
Outside of class, Long is active on campus as president of Peace Club. She also attends Brave Space meetings, is a student engagement advocate and is a C. Henry Smith Scholar. She previously served on Student Senate, and her research uncovered connections to her campus life.
鈥淏eing the Peace Club president, I thought it was really cool that the Peace Club at Bluffton at that time was doing drives aiding conscientious objectors in CPS (Civilian Public Service) camps and Student Senate was leading a war relief committee where they were gathering supplies,鈥 she said.
Long plans to become certified to teach adolescent and young adult students, but she ultimately wants to earn her Ph.D. and work in higher education. Bush has encouraged her to continue to research Japanese internment and the Nisei students as a possible dissertation topic.
鈥淓ventually, I want to teach people鈥檚 history 鈥 the stories that aren鈥檛 often told,鈥 said Long. 鈥淚f I continue this research, I can look at more schools and really go in-depth.鈥