National honor for Graves’ first book

Book wins 2014 IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award in History.

Twice Heroes: America’s Nisei Veterans of WWII and Korea was awarded the 2014 IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award in History, regarded as one of the highest national honors for small and independent publishers. The award was announced May 28th at a ceremony in New York City. Twice Heroes is the first book by CC member, writer and photographer, Tom Graves, and the first for Nassau & Witherspoon Publishers of San Francisco.

Since 1983, Independent Book Publishers Association, IBPA, the largest not-for-profit trade association of independent publishers, has been the leader for education and advocacy.

IBPA has joined readers in recognizing Twice Heroes as one of the most significant books on the history of Japanese Americans who fought for the United States while their families were interned during World War II. The Nisei became the most decorated soldiers in U.S. military history, and received the Congressional Gold Medal, Congress’ highest civilian honor, in 2011.

Twice Heroes combines the veterans’ experiences with 98 striking portraits taken by the author.

Since completing Twice Heroes, Tom Graves speaks with many groups on Nisei soldiers’ legacy of achievement, and continues his work chronicling under-recognized veterans, and adding their chapters to our history books.

About the author:
Tom Graves is a San Francisco photographer and writer with over 30 years’ professional experience. He studied portraiture with LIFE photographer Philippe Halsman, and taught for seven years at Parsons School of Design/The New School (now New School University). Photography has taken him to five continents and to all 50 states for clients AT&T, Cisco, IBM, Merrill Lynch, The New York Times, People, and Time magazine.