William Toshio Yasutake was interviewed together with his sister Mitsuye (Yasutake) Yamada and surviving brother, Joseph Yasutake, in group sessions on October 8-9, 2002. He was interviewed individually on November 14, 2002.
Before being contacted by Densho, the Yasutake siblings had planned to conduct their own family history interviews. Individually and jointly, they and other family members had written and gathered material documenting their family history. They shared much of this with me to assist with research and preparation for the Densho interview. Mitsuye's daughter Jeni had coordinated much of the family history work. Jeni participated as a secondary interviewer during the group sessions, October 8-9, 2002.The group interview sessions were conducted in Seattle at the home of Tom Ikeda, executive director of Densho. The oldest Yasutake sibling, Reverend Seiichi Michael Yasutake, had passed away less than a year before the Densho interviewing, in December, 2001. The remaining siblings emphasized that his absence left a gap in their discussion of family history. In addition to Jeni Yamada and videographers Dana Hoshide and John Pai, also present during some portions of the group interview were Tom Ikeda, and Mitsuye Yamada's son Kai Yamada.","extent":"00:02:52","links_children":"ddr-densho-1000-138-2","creators":[{"role":"narrator","oh_id":131,"namepart":"Tosh Yasutake"},{"role":"interviewer","namepart":"Alice Ito"},{"role":"interviewer","namepart":"Tom Ikeda"},{"role":"videographer","namepart":"Dana Hoshide"}],"format":"vh","language":["eng"],"contributor":"Densho","geography":[{"term":"Seattle, Washington","id":"\"http://vocab.getty.edu/tgn/7014494\""}],"rights":"cc","genre":"interview","location":"Seattle, Washington","creation":"November 14, 2002","status":"completed","search_hidden":"Tosh Yasutake narrator \nAlice Ito interviewer \nTom Ikeda interviewer \nDana Hoshide videographer","download_large":"denshovh-ytosh-01-a.jpg"},{"id":"ddr-densho-1000-138-33","model":"segment","index":"18 9043/{'value': 10000, 'relation': 'gte'}","links":{"html":"https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-138-33/","json":"https://ddr.densho.org/api/0.2/ddr-densho-1000-138-33/","img":"https://ddr.densho.org/media/ddr-densho-1000/denshovh-ytosh-01-a.jpg","thumb":"http://ddrmedia.local/media/ddr-densho-1000/denshovh-ytosh-01-a.jpg"},"title":"Tosh Yasutake Interview Segment 33","description":"Raising a family, experiencing discrimination when trying to buy a home in Bothell, WashingtonWilliam Toshio Yasutake was interviewed together with his sister Mitsuye (Yasutake) Yamada and surviving brother, Joseph Yasutake, in group sessions on October 8-9, 2002. He was interviewed individually on November 14, 2002.
Before being contacted by Densho, the Yasutake siblings had planned to conduct their own family history interviews. Individually and jointly, they and other family members had written and gathered material documenting their family history. They shared much of this with me to assist with research and preparation for the Densho interview. Mitsuye's daughter Jeni had coordinated much of the family history work. Jeni participated as a secondary interviewer during the group sessions, October 8-9, 2002.The group interview sessions were conducted in Seattle at the home of Tom Ikeda, executive director of Densho. The oldest Yasutake sibling, Reverend Seiichi Michael Yasutake, had passed away less than a year before the Densho interviewing, in December, 2001. The remaining siblings emphasized that his absence left a gap in their discussion of family history. In addition to Jeni Yamada and videographers Dana Hoshide and John Pai, also present during some portions of the group interview were Tom Ikeda, and Mitsuye Yamada's son Kai Yamada.","extent":"00:11:55","links_children":"ddr-densho-1000-138-33","creators":[{"role":"narrator","oh_id":131,"namepart":"Tosh Yasutake"},{"role":"interviewer","namepart":"Alice Ito"},{"role":"interviewer","namepart":"Tom Ikeda"},{"role":"videographer","namepart":"Dana Hoshide"}],"topics":[{"term":"Race and racism -- Discrimination","id":"37"}],"format":"vh","language":["eng"],"contributor":"Densho","geography":[{"term":"Washington","id":"\"http://vocab.getty.edu/tgn/7007920\""}],"rights":"cc","genre":"interview","location":"Seattle, Washington","creation":"November 14, 2002","status":"completed","search_hidden":"Tosh Yasutake narrator \nAlice Ito interviewer \nTom Ikeda interviewer \nDana Hoshide videographer","download_large":"denshovh-ytosh-01-a.jpg"},{"id":"ddr-densho-1000-36","model":"entity","index":"19 9044/{'value': 10000, 'relation': 'gte'}","links":{"html":"https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-36/","json":"https://ddr.densho.org/api/0.2/ddr-densho-1000-36/","img":"https://ddr.densho.org/media/ddr-densho-1000/denshovh-kminoru-01-a.jpg","thumb":"http://ddrmedia.local/media/ddr-densho-1000/denshovh-kminoru-01-a.jpg"},"title":"Minoru Kiyota Interview","description":"Kibei male, born October 12, 1923, in Seattle, Washington. Raised primarily in San Francisco, California, spending four years in Hiratsuka, Japan. Was incarcerated with his family at Topaz concentration camp, Utah. Refused to sign the so-called \"loyalty questionnaire,\" and as a consequence was moved to Tule Lake Segregation Center, California. In Tule, he renounced his U.S. citizenship in protest of the incarceration his treatment in camp, and the so-called \"loyalty questionnaire.\" Shortly thereafter he regretted his actions and attempted to rescind his decision. (It would be ten years before he would regain his citizenship.) After being released from Tule Lake in March 1946 he accepted a scholarship to College of the Ozarks, Arkansas, transferred to the University of California, Berkeley, and then served overseas in the U.S. Air Force Intelligence during the Korean War until his renunciation was discovered. After being dismissed from the air force he stayed in Japan, earning a master's and doctorate degree from Tokyo University. Published an autobiographical work in Japan entitled \"Nikkei hangyakuji,\" which was translated into English as \"Beyond Loyalty: The Story of a Kibei.\"(This interview was conducted at the 1998 Tule Lake Pilgrimage held at Klamath Falls, Oregon and at the site of Tule Lake incarceration camp in California. Given the limited time available during this event, the length and breadth of this interview are shorter than other Densho interviews.)","extent":"01:04:25","links_children":"ddr-densho-1000-36","creators":[{"role":"narrator","oh_id":43,"namepart":"Minoru Kiyota"},{"role":"interviewer","namepart":"Alice Ito"},{"role":"interviewer","namepart":"Tracy Lai"},{"role":"videographer","namepart":"Steve Hamada"}],"format":"vh","language":["eng"],"persons":[{"nr_id":"88922/nr0089q5w","namepart":"Kiyota, Minoru"}],"contributor":"Densho","rights":"cc","genre":"interview","location":"Klamath Falls, Oregon","creation":"July 3, 1998","status":"completed","search_hidden":"Minoru Kiyota narrator \nAlice Ito interviewer \nTracy Lai interviewer \nSteve Hamada videographer Kiyota, Minoru 88922nr0089q5w","download_large":"denshovh-kminoru-01-a.jpg"},{"id":"43","model":"narrator","index":"20 9045/{'value': 10000, 'relation': 'gte'}","links":{"html":"https://ddr.densho.org/narrators/43/","json":"https://ddr.densho.org/api/0.2/narrator/43/","img":"https://ddr.densho.org/media/narrators/kminoru.jpg","thumb":"https://ddr.densho.org/media/narrators/kminoru.jpg","interviews":"https://ddr.densho.org/api/0.2/narrator/43/interviews/"},"display_name":"Minoru Kiyota","bio":"Kibei male, born October 12, 1923, in Seattle, Washington. Raised primarily in San Francisco, California, spending four years in Hiratsuka, Japan. Was incarcerated with his family at Topaz concentration camp, Utah. Refused to sign the so-called \"loyalty questionnaire,\" and as a consequence was moved to Tule Lake Segregation Center, California. In Tule, he renounced his U.S. citizenship in protest of the incarceration his treatment in camp, and the so-called \"loyalty questionnaire.\" Shortly thereafter he regretted his actions and attempted to rescind his decision. (It would be ten years before he would regain his citizenship.) After being released from Tule Lake in March 1946 he accepted a scholarship to College of the Ozarks, Arkansas, transferred to the University of California, Berkeley, and then served overseas in the U.S. Air Force Intelligence during the Korean War until his renunciation was discovered. After being dismissed from the air force he stayed in Japan, earning a master's and doctorate degree from Tokyo University. Published an autobiographical work in Japan entitled \"Nikkei hangyakuji,\" which was translated into English as \"Beyond Loyalty: The Story of a Kibei.\""},{"id":"64","model":"narrator","index":"21 9046/{'value': 10000, 'relation': 'gte'}","links":{"html":"https://ddr.densho.org/narrators/64/","json":"https://ddr.densho.org/api/0.2/narrator/64/","img":"https://ddr.densho.org/media/narrators/npaul.jpg","thumb":"https://ddr.densho.org/media/narrators/npaul.jpg","interviews":"https://ddr.densho.org/api/0.2/narrator/64/interviews/"},"display_name":"Paul Nagano","bio":"Sansei male. Born, June 17, 1920, in Los Angeles, California. Grew up in \"Little Tokyo,\" and the Boyle Heights area. During World War II, was removed to the Poston concentration camp, Arizona. Became ordained as a Baptist minister while incarcerated, ministering to fellow camp inmates and leading ecumenical worship services in camp. Left Poston to attend Bethel Theological Seminary in St Paul, Minnesota. Following the war, resettled in Los Angeles and established the Japanese Baptist Church, later renamed to Evergreen Baptist Church. Appointed the first director of Japanese Evangelical Missionary Society. Spent eight years as pastor of the Makiki Church in Honolulu. Returned to the mainland and earned his doctorate degree (D. Rel.) from the School of Theology, Claremont, California, authoring a thesis on Japanese American identity, ethnic pluralism, and Christianity. Spent fifteen years as Pastor as Japanese Baptist Church in Seattle, Washington. Taught at the American Baptist Seminary of the West, Berkeley, California, and served as Director of the Council for Pacific Asian Theology, Oakland, California. Presently, Minister-at-Large-Northern California Japanese American Church Federation."},{"id":"129","model":"narrator","index":"22 9047/{'value': 10000, 'relation': 'gte'}","links":{"html":"https://ddr.densho.org/narrators/129/","json":"https://ddr.densho.org/api/0.2/narrator/129/","img":"https://ddr.densho.org/media/narrators/ymitsuye.jpg","thumb":"https://ddr.densho.org/media/narrators/ymitsuye.jpg","interviews":"https://ddr.densho.org/api/0.2/narrator/129/interviews/"},"display_name":"Mitsuye May Yamada","bio":"Female, child of Issei parents. Born July 5, 1923, in Fukuoka, Japan while her mother and two older Nisei brothers visited relatives. Named Mitsuye Mei Yasutake at birth. From age 3, grew up in Seattle, WA. Father employed by the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service as interpreter for twenty years, until separated from family on December 7, 1941 and interned as an enemy alien. Attended Cleveland High School before being removed from Seattle with mother and three brothers in 1942, and incarcerated at Puyallup Assembly Center, Washington, and Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho. Allowed temporary leave from Minidoka, to travel with brother William Toshio Yasutake to visit their father, Jack Kaichiro Yasutake, incarcerated at U.S. Department of Justice internment camp in Lordsburg, NM. Released from Minidoka in 1943 to work and attend college in Cincinnati. Received B.A. in English and Art from New York University. M.A. in English Literature and Research from University of Chicago. Married and had four children. Moved to Southern California in 1960. Taught for 23 years at community colleges in Southern California and other institutions, retiring from Cypress College as Professor of English in 1989. Author of Camp Notes and Other Poems, first published in 1976; Desert Run, (1988); writer of numerous other essays, short stories, and poems widely anthologized in collections such as This Bridge Called My Back (1981) and Women Poets of the World (1983). Featured in \"Mitsuye and Nellie: Two American Poets,\" documentary film on Asian women in the United States, aired on national public television, 1981. Founder of MultiCultural Women Writers (MCWW), member of Multi-Ethnic Literature of the United States (MELUS), and active in many community, arts and cross-cultural programs. Elected to National Board of Directors of Amnesty International USA in 1987 and served for six years. Recipient of numerous awards and honors recognizing her professional and volunteer contributions to society."},{"id":"ddr-densho-7-6","model":"entity","index":"23 9048/{'value': 10000, 'relation': 'gte'}","links":{"html":"https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-7-6/","json":"https://ddr.densho.org/api/0.2/ddr-densho-7-6/","img":"https://ddr.densho.org/media/ddr-densho-7/ddr-densho-7-6-mezzanine-b3129359a2-a.jpg","thumb":"http://ddrmedia.local/media/ddr-densho-7/ddr-densho-7-6-mezzanine-b3129359a2-a.jpg"},"title":"WRA resettlement image","description":"Original WRA caption: \"Here is a corner view of the spacious living room in the home of the Kaneko and Isoda families who have resettled in Milwaukee. Mrs. Tei Kaneko is opening her knitting bag while on the floor (left to right) are Robin Isoda, 2-1/2, son of Mr. and Mrs. Georg[e] Isoda, and Wayne Kaneko, 2-1/2-year -old son of the Kanekos. The Kanekos are formerly from Hunt Relocation Center and before evacuation lived in Seattle, Washington.\" Beginning in summer 1942, the War Relocation Authority (WRA) began to release incarcerees and encouraged them to resettle in areas of the United States other than the West Coast. However, many Japanese Americans were reluctant to leave (incarcerees did not depart in large numbers until 1944). The Issei in particular, many of whom were sixty or older, had little with which to start a new life after losing their farms and small businesses. Incarcerees also feared for their safety; reports and rumors of hostile treatment by outsiders were common in camps. The WRA started a campaign to show how good life was outside the camps and away from the West Coast. The agency took photographs of the Kaneko and Isoda families for that purpose. Tei Kaneko and her family joined her sister, Sachiko Isoda, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where a church had helped them find a furnished home. Incarcerees from various camps informed Kaneko that they had seen the WRA photographs posted on camp blackboards.","extent":"2065W x 1471H (pixels)","links_children":"ddr-densho-7-6","topics":[{"term":"World War II -- Leaving camp -- \"Resettlement\"","id":"104"}],"format":"img","language":["eng"],"persons":[{"namepart":"Kaneko, Tei"},{"namepart":"Isoda, George"},{"namepart":"Kaneko, Wayne"}],"contributor":"Densho","rights":"pcc","genre":"photograph","location":"Milwaukee, Wisconsin","creation":"1944","status":"completed","search_hidden":"Kaneko, Tei \nIsoda, George \nKaneko, Wayne","download_large":"ddr-densho-7-6-mezzanine-b3129359a2-a.jpg"},{"id":"77","model":"narrator","index":"24 9049/{'value': 10000, 'relation': 'gte'}","links":{"html":"https://ddr.densho.org/narrators/77/","json":"https://ddr.densho.org/api/0.2/narrator/77/","img":"https://ddr.densho.org/media/narrators/osue.jpg","thumb":"https://ddr.densho.org/media/narrators/osue.jpg","interviews":"https://ddr.densho.org/api/0.2/narrator/77/interviews/"},"display_name":"Sue Takimoto Okabe","bio":"Nisei female. Born September 5, 1928, in Tacoma, Washington, moved with her family to Seattle at age four. At age six, began singing, taking voice lessons and performing on stage for Japanese American community events. In 1942, was incarcerated with her family at Puyallup Assembly Center and Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho, where she continued to sing -- including performances outside of the camp arranged by camp authorities. Remembers fondly the freedom from parental supervision teenagers experienced while in camp. In fact, after the family was allowed early release to relocate in Denver in April 1943, she ran away from home and briefly returned to Minidoka. In Denver, continued her music studies and joined a United Service Organization (USO) group, experiencing both racial prejudice and warm welcome at USO performances. Postwar, resettled with her family in Los Angeles, where she attended the Los Angeles Conservatory of Music, University of California, Los Angeles, and University Southern California. Continued to pursue music as a hobby through schooling, marriage, and two children. Began teaching private piano and voice lessons in 1952. Following her divorce in 1958, began singing in nightclubs and lounges."}],"query":{"query":{"query_string":{"query":"Seattle, Washington","fields":["id","model","links_html","links_json","links_img","links_thumb","links_children","status","public","title","description","contributor","creators","creators.namepart","facility","format","genre","geography","label","language","creation","location","persons","rights","topics","image_url","display_name","bio","extent","search_hidden"],"analyze_wildcard":false,"allow_leading_wildcard":false,"default_operator":"AND"}},"aggs":{"facility":{"nested":{"path":"facility"},"aggs":{"facility_ids":{"terms":{"field":"facility.id","size":1000}}}},"format":{"terms":{"field":"format"}},"genre":{"terms":{"field":"genre"}},"rights":{"terms":{"field":"rights"}},"topics":{"nested":{"path":"topics"},"aggs":{"topics_ids":{"terms":{"field":"topics.id","size":1000}}}}},"_source":["id","model","links_html","links_json","links_img","links_thumb","links_children","status","public","title","description","contributor","creators","creators.namepart","facility","format","genre","geography","label","language","creation","location","persons","rights","topics","image_url","display_name","bio","extent","search_hidden"]}}