In a dusty filing cabinet in Monterey, California, a 1938 film is discovered that depicted a joyous Japanese-American community just before their lives are destroyed. Along with this remarkable never-before-seen film was a trove of signed petitions demanding the restoration of civil rights to those same Americans. "Enduring Democracy: the Monterey Petitions" explores the motivations of individuals who financed hate campaigns as well as the daring women who spearheaded the carefully thought-out response.
The battle was fought in the editorial pages of several newspapers as racists emboldened by Anti-Japanese war propaganda posted full page ads to discourage Japanese Americans from returning to their homes and businesses. Inspired by Mollie Sumida's letter to the editor written while imprisoned in camp and impervious to threats of violence, residents banded together to get their community to sign Toni Jackson's petition pledging "The Democratic Way of Life for All."