Return to the Valley is a documentary and educational project launched by KTEH in 2003.. The documentary that premiered on PBS in June 2003, is a one-hour program about the resettlement experiences of Japanese Americans after World War II. The documentary is set in the Santa Clara, Salinas, and Pajaro Valleys and the Central Coast region--areas once well known for strawberry farming and fishing. The themes of strength, perseverance and the resiliency of the human spirit transcend geography and time in this moving reflective historical documentary.

Return to the Valley Teacher's Guide has been updated, and the documentary has been aligned to California State Standards for History and Social Studies in the new Viewing Guide. Video related to the themes in the documentary have been added to this site.

Return to the Valley is told entirely in the words, photos and home movies of the second generation or Nisei. Today, they are all senior citizens, but sixty years ago, they were teenagers or in their early twenties. It was this generation that shouldered the responsibility to rebuild the Japanese American community, raise their young families, and take care of their aging immigrant parents--the first generation or Issei. In addition, two of the last remaining Issei, a farmer's wife, and a retired strawberry grower, share their memories of life in California.

The on-line teacher's guide and resource list is downloadable at no-cost to teachers, students and researchers through generous grants from our funders.