Rulee Stallmann was born in Kirkland, Washington on May 16, 1938. At a young age, her family was taken to a internment camp in Pine Dale, California, and later to Tule Lake. As labor was needed in Chinook, Montana, her family was then hired out to work in farms harvesting sugar beets. She came to study piano and music education at University of Montana and received a Certificate of Advanced Study from Northern Illinois University. She taught music theory and history at Harlem High School and Rockford College, as well as private piano students, before retiring. In this interview, she shares her family’s story with Japanese internment, her encounters with and opinions on discrimination, her professional experience studying and teaching music, and her thoughts on a greater need for empathy among people.
View interview transcript PDF — Full interview materials on Rice Digital Scholarship