The NVC Memorial Hall was built in 1938 as a dojo for the Kendo Kai but was abandoned in the spring of 1942 during the incarceration. In the face of racial discrimination and prejudice, a group of recently discharged Nisei veterans in Seattle who had served in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and the Military Intelligence Service established the Seattle Nisei Veterans Committee on March 25, 1946, to serve the community and honor the legacies of Japanese Americans. The committee also sought to maintain the strong personal relationships that were formed during the war. After the deed to the former dojo was transferred to the NVC in 1951, the building was remodeled under the leadership of Lefty Ichihara and Harry Takagi.