Jennifer Tompkins of the Grand Rapids Asia-Pacific Foundation will share the story of the often-overlooked Japanese “War Bride” community in West Michigan, and how its members built a support network that helped the next generation of Japanese brides who arrived during the Vietnam War. Through oral histories, family photographs, and historical records, Tompkins will reveal one of West Michigan’s first Asian communities that, until now, has been hidden in plain sight. As the first Japanese brides of US servicemen arrived in West Michigan in the 1950s, they found themselves isolated in a strange land with strange customs and very little support. Tompkins extensive research reveals how the West Michigan “War Brides” overcame these obstacles to create a thriving community that persists to this day.

Co-sponsored by the Grand Rapids Historical Society & Greater Grand Rapids Women’s History Council