Defining Courage commemorates the struggles and sacrifices of the Nisei soldiers of World War II through vivid cinematography, live music, eyewitness interviews, and storytelling. Serving in segregated units, these Americans of Japanese ancestry were among the war’s most decorated soldiers, unsung heroes fighting for the US while many of their families were in incarceration camps back at home. The production is a creation of Story Boldly, a nonprofit initiative devoted to journalistic storytelling founded by Emmy Award-winning creators David Ono (an anchor on KABC-TV in Los Angeles) and television producer Jeff MacIntyre. Ono has described the project as a work of historic reclamation: “They’re truly some of America’s greatest heroes, some of the toughest guys we’ve ever created.”
An Illuminations: “Fractured History” event. Visit calperformances.org/illuminations for details.