Monterey Petition: A Democratic Way of Life for All

The documents below are part of a single petition signed by over four hundred residents of Monterey, California, welcoming back Japanese Americans who had been incarcerated in concentration camps during World War II. The petition, published in the Monterey Peninsula Herald on May 11, 1945, followed the end of the war and the closure of the camps. Spearheaded by Toni Jackson, a writer and editor based in Monterey, it includes signatures from notable local figures such as John Steinbeck, Ed Ricketts, and Edward Weston.

At a time when anti-Japanese sentiment was prevalent in the area, the petition was one of the few organized efforts to voice support for Japanese Americans and advocate for their democratic rights upon their release. The petition references Proclamation No. 21, issued by the U.S. War Department on December 17, 1944, which restored Japanese Americans' right to return to their homes, and emphasizes the wider community’s responsibility to protect the rights of Japanese Americans.

To view the full list of signatories, please click the following link: 1945 Monterey Petition Signatories.

For more information about the Monterey petition, please visit: Enduring Democracy: The Monterey Petition.

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Monterey Petition: A Democratic Way of Life for All (Document 1)

Toni Jackson

Petition signed by Monterey, California residents to welcome back Japanese Americans who were forcibly relocated to incarceration camps during World War II. Published in the Monterey Peninsula Herald on May 11, 1945, it was one of the few organized efforts supporting Japanese Americans after the war.
Monterey Petition: A Democratic Way of Life for All (Document 2)

Toni Jackson

Petition signed by Monterey, California residents to welcome back Japanese Americans who were forcibly relocated to incarceration camps during World War II. Published in the Monterey Peninsula Herald on May 11, 1945, it was one of the few organized efforts supporting Japanese Americans after the war.
Monterey Petition: A Democratic Way of Life for All (Document 3)

Toni Jackson

Petition signed by Monterey, California residents to welcome back Japanese Americans who were forcibly relocated to incarceration camps during World War II. Published in the Monterey Peninsula Herald on May 11, 1945, it was one of the few organized efforts supporting Japanese Americans after the war. Includes signatures of John Steinbeck and Ed Ricketts.
Monterey Petition: A Democratic Way of Life for All (Document 4)

Toni Jackson

Petition signed by Monterey, California residents to welcome back Japanese Americans who were forcibly relocated to incarceration camps during World War II. Published in the Monterey Peninsula Herald on May 11, 1945, it was one of the few organized efforts supporting Japanese Americans after the war.
Monterey Petition: A Democratic Way of Life for All (Document 5)

Toni Jackson

Petition signed by Monterey, California residents to welcome back Japanese Americans who were forcibly relocated to incarceration camps during World War II. Published in the Monterey Peninsula Herald on May 11, 1945, it was one of the few organized efforts supporting Japanese Americans after the war.
Monterey Petition: A Democratic Way of Life for All (Document 6)

Toni Jackson

Petition signed by Monterey, California residents to welcome back Japanese Americans who were forcibly relocated to incarceration camps during World War II. Published in the Monterey Peninsula Herald on May 11, 1945, it was one of the few organized efforts supporting Japanese Americans after the war.
Monterey Petition: A Democratic Way of Life for All (Document 7)

Toni Jackson

Petition signed by Monterey, California residents to welcome back Japanese Americans who were forcibly relocated to incarceration camps during World War II. Published in the Monterey Peninsula Herald on May 11, 1945, it was one of the few organized efforts supporting Japanese Americans after the war.
Monterey Petition: A Democratic Way of Life for All (Document 8)

Toni Jackson

Petition signed by Monterey, California residents to welcome back Japanese Americans who were forcibly relocated to incarceration camps during World War II. Published in the Monterey Peninsula Herald on May 11, 1945, it was one of the few organized efforts supporting Japanese Americans after the war.
Monterey Petition: A Democratic Way of Life for All (Document 9)

Toni Jackson

Petition signed by Monterey, California residents to welcome back Japanese Americans who were forcibly relocated to incarceration camps during World War II. Published in the Monterey Peninsula Herald on May 11, 1945, it was one of the few organized efforts supporting Japanese Americans after the war.
Monterey Petition: A Democratic Way of Life for All (Document 10)

Toni Jackson

Petition signed by Monterey, California residents to welcome back Japanese Americans who were forcibly relocated to incarceration camps during World War II. Published in the Monterey Peninsula Herald on May 11, 1945, it was one of the few organized efforts supporting Japanese Americans after the war.
Monterey Petition: A Democratic Way of Life for All (Document 11)

Toni Jackson

Petition signed by Monterey, California residents to welcome back Japanese Americans who were forcibly relocated to incarceration camps during World War II. Published in the Monterey Peninsula Herald on May 11, 1945, it was one of the few organized efforts supporting Japanese Americans after the war.
Monterey Petition: A Democratic Way of Life for All (Document 12)

Toni Jackson

Petition signed by Monterey, California residents to welcome back Japanese Americans who were forcibly relocated to incarceration camps during World War II. Published in the Monterey Peninsula Herald on May 11, 1945, it was one of the few organized efforts supporting Japanese Americans after the war.
Monterey Petition: A Democratic Way of Life for All (Document 13)

Toni Jackson

Petition signed by Monterey, California residents to welcome back Japanese Americans who were forcibly relocated to incarceration camps during World War II. Published in the Monterey Peninsula Herald on May 11, 1945, it was one of the few organized efforts supporting Japanese Americans after the war.
Monterey Petition: A Democratic Way of Life for All (Document 14)

Toni Jackson

Petition signed by Monterey, California residents to welcome back Japanese Americans who were forcibly relocated to incarceration camps during World War II. Published in the Monterey Peninsula Herald on May 11, 1945, it was one of the few organized efforts supporting Japanese Americans after the war.
Monterey Petition: A Democratic Way of Life for All (Document 15)

Toni Jackson

Petition signed by Monterey, California residents to welcome back Japanese Americans who were forcibly relocated to incarceration camps during World War II. Published in the Monterey Peninsula Herald on May 11, 1945, it was one of the few organized efforts supporting Japanese Americans after the war.
Monterey Petition: A Democratic Way of Life for All (Document 16)

Toni Jackson

Petition signed by Monterey, California residents to welcome back Japanese Americans who were forcibly relocated to incarceration camps during World War II. Published in the Monterey Peninsula Herald on May 11, 1945, it was one of the few organized efforts supporting Japanese Americans after the war.
Monterey Petition: A Democratic Way of Life for All (Document 17)

Toni Jackson

Petition signed by Monterey, California residents to welcome back Japanese Americans who were forcibly relocated to incarceration camps during World War II. Published in the Monterey Peninsula Herald on May 11, 1945, it was one of the few organized efforts supporting Japanese Americans after the war.