Kathryn Tolbert

Washington, D.C.

Former Education editor for The Washington Post

Education: Vassar College, BA in Political Science; The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, MA in International Relations

Kathryn Tolbert was an editor and reporter on the Metro, National and Foreign desks, a correspondent in Tokyo and director of recruiting and hiring. Before joining The Washington Post, she worked for The Boston Globe and the Associated Press. In addition, she has written about Japanese women who married American servicemen after World War II and co-directed the film "Fall Seven Times, Get Up Eight: The Japanese War Brides.
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Latest from Kathryn Tolbert

When Japanese balloons threatened American skies during World War II

Long before a suspected Chinese spy balloon was seen over Montana, Japan launched nearly 10,000 bomb-bearing balloons toward the United States during World War II. One killed six people.

February 3, 2023

A Japanese war bride who overcame an immigration ban with JFK’s help is lost to covid-19

Kimiko Yamaguchi Amato, who was able to come to the United States in 1950 with the help of John F. Kennedy, died last month after testing positive for covid-19.

July 14, 2020

Betty Jones, who created magic in the kitchen and a ‘do right’ home, dies of covid-19

She learned to cook at the side of her deaf mother. No words were written or spoken.

June 15, 2020

Margaret Locklear Lerner, a role model in the Lumbee Indian community, died after contracting covid-19

Lerner worked for years at the National Security Agency as a communications analyst

May 28, 2020

‘What is democracy?’ During WWII, a Japanese American soldier struggled to answer.

Key Kobayashi was confined to an internment camp before being drafted and sent to Tokyo as a translator

April 4, 2019

His Japanese birth mother gave him a slip of paper with his father’s name. He didn’t intend to search for him.

A couple of years ago, curious about his Caucasian half, Bruce Hollywood had his DNA tested with an Ancestry.com kit. The results were clear.

May 15, 2018

He searched for his Japanese birth mother. He found her — and the restaurant she had named after him.

Once he found his birth mother, he learned she named her restaurant Bruce after him, and always believed he would come back to her.

May 8, 2018

The Japanese once ruled the Boston Marathon. A war bride’s son recalls the slurs.

Joseph Amato's dad took him to see the Japanese runners in 1966 so he could take pride in his Japanese heritage. Instead the 11-year-old was shamed for it.

April 15, 2018

    When Asian immigration was banned, John F. Kennedy stepped in to help a Japanese woman

    A ban on Asian immigration prevented an American soldier from bringing his Japanese fiancee, Kimiko Yamaguchi, home in 1950. This is their story.

    April 12, 2018

    She started composting. Who knew red wigglers and worm poop were so interesting?

    A mail-order bag of 1,000 earthworms was a real eye-opener.

    April 22, 2017