Following the traumatic uprooting of Japanese immigrants and Japanese Americans during the WWII years, continued upheaval weakened resolve among many of those who suffered the most — particularly the loss of health, livelihood, homes, and personal property. Many fled the West Coast, where blatant anti-Asian slogans prohibited them from seeking jobs and housing. However, by 1950, Japanese Americans began to return west to compete with a growing mix of southern blacks, Mexican Hispanics, and local whites.
In 1952, under the direction of the Supreme Court, the old order of restrictive laws and prejudicial treatment ended with a repeal of the Alien Land Act of 1913. Japanese Americans began to invest directly in their nation through business, public office, and integrated neighborhoods. That same year, Congress passed Public Law 414, granting Japanese aliens the right to become naturalized citizens of the United States.
