Great Americans A to Z: Iva Toguri D'Aquino (Tokyo Rose)

Iva Toguri D'Aquino (1916-2006) was an American who was wrongly convicted of treason. She would eventually be pardoned after her accusers admitted that the government bribed them to witness against her.

Iva was born in Los Angeles to native Japanese parents. She graduated from UCLA with a degree in zoology, and she hoped to enter medical school to become a doctor.

In 1941, Iva’s family experienced a loss in Japan. Her mother’s only living sister died, and someone had to go to Japan to represent the American side of the family. Iva’s mother was diabetic and too ill to travel, so she sent her daughter to Japan on her behalf. But on this trip to visit her family, Iva found herself in the middle of a war breakout (WWII). She was stranded for two years and unable to go back to America.

Trapped in Japan, Iva refused to give up her US citizenship and was harassed for doing so. To support herself, she found work as a transcriber for a Japanese radio station.

At the station, there was a government-ran, English-speaking radio show titled The Zero Hour. The show disseminated propaganda that was intended to lower the morale of allied forces, and prisoners of war (POW’s) were forced to be the broadcasters. When the government wanted the POW’s to add a woman broadcaster, the POW’s persuaded Iva to join the radio crew. They trusted her because she had smuggled food and medicine for them, and she was the only Japanese-American woman who had not renounced her American citizenship.

Together, Iva and the POW’s fooled the Japanese government by subtly using sarcasm, innuendos, and double entendres to boost the morale of allied soldiers instead of lowering it. They featured more entertainment and music to undermine Japanese propaganda efforts. Iva and her radio crew even dropped hints to warn allied soldiers of surprise attacks, and revealed weather conditions in Tokyo—all of which could have gotten them killed by the Japanese government.

When wartime was over, Iva was free to return home to America. But trouble would find her again; Iva was arrested for treason because of her broadcasting activities in Japan.

In court, American soldiers testified that she was innocent and that her broadcasts warned them of important Japanese schemes, but the jury believed in two witnesses who testified against her and said that she helped the Japanese damage the morale of allied soldiers.

Iva was sentenced to ten years in prison and a $10,000 fine. She was released from prison after six years, but it would be 27 years later that the two witnesses who testified against her would admit that they lied in court, and were coached by the US government to share their false testimonies.

In the following year, Iva was pardoned by the US president.

Does Iva inspire you?

Great Americans A to Z: Helen Keller

Helen Keller (1880-1968) was an American author, lecturer, and political activist. Helen was the first deaf-blind person to earn a college degree.

Before she was two years old, Helen contracted an illness that left her blind and deaf. She described her life before knowing words as being like a ship “at sea in a dense fog, when it seemed as if a tangible white darkness shut [her] in…and [she] waited with beating heart for something to happen…”

When Helen was six years old, her parents hired Anne Sullivan, a graduate of Perkins Institute for the Death and Blind, to become Helen’s teacher. Anne, who was partially blind herself, taught Helen words—both spelling and meaning.

Helen went on to author many books, essays, and letters. She wrote about her childhood and college experiences, her perception of the world, her political views and religion. She became a speaker who advocated rights for women, the poor, and individuals who were blind and/or deaf. She was also a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom Award.

Helen inspired many others to pursue higher education, such as Robert Smithdas (1925-still living!) who is the first deaf-blind person to earn a masters degree.

“Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.” ~Helen Keller

Does Helen Keller inspire you?

Great Americans A to Z: Eunice Kennedy Shriver

E is for Eunice Kennedy Shriver who was another one of my favorite heroines. She was more than just another Kennedy, as if being that weren't enough. Sister to JFK, she branded her own identity with a series of selfless and humane acts, making such an impact on the world that she moved us to brand her image on a U.S. silver dollar coin. 

Eunice Kennedy Shriver (1921-2009) graduated from college with a sociology degree and became a social worker for government programs that assisted women and juvenile delinquents. In politics, Eunice was no cookie cutter: she was a democrat but advocated pro-life, and she was a democrat whom republicans loved. Eunice was the recipient of numerous awards from both republican and democratic politicians for her volunteer work, and she has received honors designated only for presidents and first ladies, though she never served in these positions.

In 1962, Eunice founded Camp Shriver, a sports organization for individuals with disabilities. This organization would later be known as the Special Olympics.

In her own words, Eunice empowered people with disabilities:

“You are the stars and the world is watching you. By your presence, you send a message to every village, every city, every nation. A message of hope. A message of victory. The right to play on any playing field – you have earned it. The right to study in any school – you have earned it. The right to hold a job – you have earned it. The right to be anyone’s neighbor – you have earned it!”

Listen to Eunice’s speech here: 

http://www.eunicekennedyshriver.org

Do you feel that American schools and workplaces have improved in including individuals with disabilities?