South Jersey AAPI History - Seabrook Farms & Japanese American Internment

Tania Qurashi
Jun 2, 2023
3 min read

Updated: Feb 13

Seabrook Farms History

Seabrook Farms is a family-owned business that grows, produces, and processes vegetables in Cumberland County, New Jersey. Its history began in 1893, when Arthur P. Seabrook purchased the land. By 1917, the farm expanded due to agricultural and commercial success. By the 1920s, the farm was operated by C.F. Seabrook and was dedicated to the production of canned and frozen vegetables.

Seabrook Farms was the major food supplier of the military and an important economic force in Southern New Jersey. During World War II, Seabrook employed local residents as well as immigrants from the Caribbean, Latin America, and immigrants from the Baltic region during the postwar period. Seabrook Village became the site of relocation for many interned Japanese Americans, as Seabrook Farms suffered a labor shortage as a direct result of the war. In 1944, Seabrook Farms recruited about 2,500 interned Japanese Americans for employment.

By the late 1970s, Seabrook Farms could not compete with larger suppliers in the industry, and many Japanese American employees, among others, had left the company. Disputes between the family caused the company to fall out of family control. The company, however, is still run by direct descendants of the founder. Despite its eventual decline, its social impact in promoting a diverse community is acknowledged due to its history of providing employment, shelter, and education to families at a politically contentious moment in American history.

In 1994, the Seabrook Educational and Cultural Center was founded by Japanese American community members as a commemoration of the unique multicultural community that was formed in the wake of wartime displacement and post-war relocation. The Seabrook Educational and Cultural Center houses photographs and records of the community. It is professionally staffed and is greatly assisted by volunteers. Today, the Seabrook Museum and Cultural Center is open to the public and serves as a memorial to preserve the lives and legacies of its community.

You can learn more about the Seabrook Education and Cultural Center at: https://seabrookeducation.org/seabrook-history/

Japanese Americans in South Jersey

After the attack on Pearl Harbor, President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 that required individuals of Japanese descent to be evacuated from the West Coast and incarcerated in detention camps across the American West and in Arkansas. Japanese Americans were permitted to leave internment camps if they had job assurances and clearances to relocate. Seabrook Farms sent representatives to recruit Japanese American laborers from internment camps to help fill the labor shortage caused by the war.

Although Seabrook Farms provided employment, shelter, and education to its laborers and their families, conditions were still rough for its workers, who worked 12-hour shifts and earned very little.

In 1988, President Ronald Reagan signed the Civil Liberties Act, which provided monetary redress of $20,000 as well as an official apology on behalf of the U.S. Government for the incarcerations that impacted individuals of Japanese descent.

While many internees received redress, some did not. Japanese Peruvians, several of whom later lived in Seabrook, were kidnapped from Peru and incarcerated in the United States and did not qualify for redress due to their unique status.

History and Heritage of South Jersey

Many Japanese Americans continued to live in South Jersey and raise their families in Cumberland County after leaving Seabrook Farms. Over time, they shared arts, culture, and traditions with the broader South Jersey community.

The Seabrook Chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League was established in 1946. The Hoh Daiko Drummers of Seabrook was established in 1991. The Seabrook Buddhist Temple continues to host annual festivals.

Every year, residents gather during the Obon Festival to celebrate traditional Japanese culture through food, performances, and community gatherings.

Fine Arts in the Seabrook Museum

Today, a gallery of many works of art welcomes visitors to Seabrook Education and Cultural Center. Among the works is a piece by Tsutomu Jimmy Mirikitani, donated in appreciation for the hospitality he received during his visit. Other notable works include art by Yoshi Shiratsuki, reflecting themes of resilience, beauty, and quiet strength.

The arts at Seabrook Education and Cultural Center represent centuries of tradition, talent, and lived experience distilled into powerful visual storytelling.