Hiram Kano was a pioneering Japanese American photographer and cinematographer who made significant contributions to the development of visual media in the early 20th century.
Kano was born on September 25, 1889, in Stockton, California, to immigrant parents from Japan. He grew up in California and graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1915 with a degree in civil engineering. After working as a civil engineer for a few years, Kano developed an interest in photography and began to pursue it as a career.
In the 1920s, Kano started working for the Fox Film Corporation in Hollywood, where he became one of the first Japanese American cinematographers. He worked on many films during his career, including the popular Charlie Chan detective series. In addition to his work in Hollywood, Kano also founded his own photography studio, the Kano Studio, in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, which became a gathering place for Japanese Americans in the area.
Kano's most notable work was his documentation of the Japanese American community in the United States during World War II. Following the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the subsequent internment of Japanese Americans, Kano was among the photographers who were commissioned by the War Relocation Authority to document life in the internment camps. His photographs captured the daily life, work, and leisure activities of Japanese Americans who were forcibly removed from their homes and confined in remote locations.
After the war, Kano continued to work as a photographer and filmmaker, producing many educational and promotional films. He was also actively involved in the Japanese American community and served as a trustee of the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles.
Kano died on December 20, 1979, in Los Angeles, leaving behind a rich legacy of visual media that continues to inform our understanding of the Japanese American experience. His photographs and films are an important historical record of a community that has faced discrimination and adversity, but has also made significant contributions to American society. Through his work, Kano not only documented history but also helped to shape it by promoting greater understanding and acceptance of Japanese Americans.