Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes (1977)

One of the most interesting items of note, especially as it pertains to mental health, is the symbol of the paper crane. Thousands of tiny paper birds strung together, hanging from a ceiling or from some other device. But there is always the question "How did paper cranes become this driving symbol for hope?"

Its origins can be traced down mostly to a single Japanese legend, which states that anyone who folds a thousand paper cranes would have their wish granted. This comes to play in the life story of Sadako Sasaki, a young Japanese girl born on January 7th, 1943. At two years old, she was a victim of the 1945 atomic bombing of Hiroshima. As she aged, she grew up like other children, with her own hopes and dreams, such as her wish to join the track team. However, she soon fell prey to Leukemia, and aftereffects of the radiation left by the atomic bomb. As her body slowly began to wither away and she began to slowly lose hope, one of her close friends informed her of the legend of the thousand paper cranes, even giving Sadako a paper crane she had personally folded. Almost immediately, Sadako begins folding her own paper cranes, with the hopes of making at least a thousand of them. Her family mentions that she managed to fold around one thousand four hundred and fifty paper cranes before passing away on October 25th, 1955, at the age of twelve.

After her death, her family compiled a story about the life of Sadako and began spreading it around Japan as a story of hope. Starting with her classmates and eventually spreading to the rest of Japan, people came together to fold paper cranes in Memory of Sadako and donated money to build the "Children's Peace Monument." Over 3,000 Japanese schools contributed to this cause, and in 1958, a little over two years after Sadako's death, the monument was built in Peace Memorial Park, establishing "Children's Day" on May 5, the day the Statue was completed.

Around twenty years later, in the late 1970s, Eleanor Coerr, a young Canadian American author, discovered the Sadako's story and wrote the children's historical novel Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes. This story remained mostly true to the original story published by the Sasaki family; however, it slightly changes the ending to Sadako only folding six hundred and forty-four, and the incompleteness of her goal as the reason her fellow schoolmates began helping fold the paper cranes to honor her memory. Although there were some differences, this book was published in countries outside of Japan and became a spark towards a movement.

Since then, this legend has been picked up by various causes, such as "10 paper cranes for healing" for victims of sexual assault, and universities coming together for a victim of neuroblastoma. These acts have all become inspiration for poems and songs. However, the time when paper cranes truly became a symbol for mental health, at least in America, was during the Covid-19 pandemic. When the public was forced into isolation, the lack of open social communication became a crisis for those already struggling with mental health. The story of Sadako allowed for the symbol of the crane to be a sign of unity and hope even as the world appeared to be falling to pieces. This soon began with the creation of the collections of hanging paper cranes as a reminder that no one in the world is alone, and that although others may be struggling, there will always be those willing to help.

To view Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes, visit Special Collections in room 305 in McCain Libraries & Archives. For additional information about the book and the children's literature collections, contact Karlie Herndon at .

This Item of the Month was written by Reese Sullivan, a junior Polymer Science and Engineering major.

**Items of the Month featured in 2024-2026 will be the work of Southern Miss students who took HON 303, a seminar held in Fall 2024 focusing on archives and special collections.