Dr. Kazue Togasaki was born in San Francisco in 1897. In 1906, her family survived the devastating earthquake and resulting fires that swept through San Francisco. Inspired by her mother setting up a makeshift hospital at their church, Dr. Kazue Togasaki dedicated her career to studying medicine.

Togasaki earned a degree in Zoology from Stanford, then attended a nursing program at the Children’s Hospital School of Nursing. Despite her qualifications, she found it difficult to be hired because of her identity as an Asian woman. Nevertheless, she pursued a Public Health degree and graduated from Women’s Medical College of Pennsylvania. After her studies, she returned to San Francisco to make a difference.
After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Togasaki was one of many Japanese Americans sent to internment camps. She moved through a total of six internment centers. Togasaki continued practicing medicine, administering vaccines, and delivering babies at the camps, often without proper equipment. Her leadership was impressive to many and she was trusted to lead a team of Japanese American medical professionals.

After being released from the camps in 1943, Togasaki returned to find her home in San Francisco destroyed. She persevered through harsh circumstances and continued her practice as a doctor for another 40 years, giving special attention to those who were economically disadvantaged, terminally ill, and marginalized. After a long and distinguished career, Dr. Togasaki passed away in 1992. Many people were impacted by Dr. Togasaki’s generosity and brilliance, and she is still recognized as an integral force and champion of her community today.

📸: Drexel University College of Medicine, Archives & Special Collections