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This exhibit focuses on those young Japanese who traveled by themselves to study abroad. They were known as “shosei.” At the time, this generally meant a student who was given room and board in exchange for performing domestic duties. The first shosei traveled to the San Francisco Bay area around 1881. Because most were poor and without savings, they would work as house servants at the homes of wealthy Americans during the day and go to school at night. Some would later return to Japan to apply their knowledge to practical pursuits, while others stayed in the United States to become leaders of the Japanese community there.
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