Returning home

When the camps closed, Japanese Americans were handed $25 and put on trains headed for the places they had been forcibly removed from nearly four years earlier. Harassment was common -- many returning Japanese Americans were greeted with signs reading "No Japs Allowed." Other discovered their property had been vandalized or stolen. Homes and businesses that had been boarded up or left in the care of others were abandoned and stripped of furnishings and goods. For the majority, who did not have homes to return to, housing was the most serious problem. Housing discrimination was severe in many areas and persisted to varying degrees until the civil rights legislation of the 1960s. Former camp inmates with no other options moved into hostels and converted community institutions with conditions not much better than the camps they had just left. Although this period was stressful, it is remembered as a time when people came together to share what they had.

World War II (231)
Leaving camp (287)
Returning home (1049)

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1049 items

doc Scrapbook page: "Evacuees Return" (ddr-densho-35-351)

An assortment of newspaper articles from the Oregonian and Oregon Journal, one of which is titled "First Arrest Made for Shot at Nisei House."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-35-351/

doc Scrapbook page: "Attitude of the Church" (ddr-densho-35-357)

Various articles from the Oregonian and Oregon Journal, one of which is titled "Gresham Pastors Take Stand on Race Question."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-35-357/

doc Newspaper clippings from scrapbook page (ddr-densho-35-364)

Three articles and one photograph on Gresham, Oregon anti-Japanese groups. Newspapers include: Gresham Outlook and Sunday Oregonian.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-35-364/

doc Newspaper clippings from scrapbook page (ddr-densho-35-386)

Various articles from the Oregonian and Oregon Journal. From scrapbook page titled: "Expressions of Public Opinion - Examples of Letters Against Japanese Americans."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-35-386/

doc Chicago Defender article: "'Little Tokyo' Converted To Hodgepodge Of Negroes, Japs" (ddr-densho-35-143)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-35-143/

doc Scrapbook page (ddr-densho-35-379)

Various newspaper clippings, one of which is titled: "All Created Equal." From scrapbook page titled: "Some Expressions of Public Opinion on Action of Hood River Legion."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-35-379/

doc Yank Magazine article: "The Nisei Problem" (ddr-densho-35-355)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-35-355/

doc Scrapbook page (ddr-densho-35-380)

Newspaper clippings from the New York Times, Oregonian, and Oregon Journal, one of which is titled: "All Created Equal." From scrapbook page titled: "Some Expressions of Public Opinion on Action of Hood River Legion."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-35-380/

doc Scrapbook page (ddr-densho-35-373)

Various newspaper clippings, one of which is titled: "Gresham Group Begins Coastal Anti-Jap Move."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-35-373/

doc American Concentration Camps VOLUME 8 1944 and 1945 Japanese of Hawaii (ddr-densho-372-8)

Volume 8 divides into five sections. Description about this volume reads directly from the book as follows: Part 1 features archival documents from 1944 and 1945 that depict the winding down of the relocation program. Part 2 features selected pages of a Congressional Record from February 23, 1944 and June 23, 1944 that resulted in the …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-372-8/

img Japanese Americans leaving camp by bus (ddr-densho-37-783)

Original WRA caption: Gila River Relocation Center, Rivers, Arizona. Aboard the Greyhound bus, which will take them to their former homes in California, these evacuees are anxious to be off. On September 15, two weeks before the Canal Camp at Rivers, Arizona, was to close, only 635 people remained and 370 of these had bus or …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-37-783/

img Japanese Americans boarding buses (ddr-densho-37-784)

Original WRA caption: Gila River Relocation Center, Rivers, Arizona. Evacuees returning to their former homes in California by Greyhound bus. On September 15, two weeks before the Canal Camp at Rivers, Arizona, was to close, only 635 people remained and 370 of these had bus or train reservations for the following week (the Canal Camp once …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-37-784/

doc Letter from Alvin Uchiyama to Kathleen Koga Uchiyama (ddr-densho-406-175)

Wants her to find a place in San Jose rather than go with his family, thanks her for the shoes, wants another baby as soon as he gets home.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-406-175/

doc Letter from Alvin Uchiyama to Kathleen Koga Uchiyama (ddr-densho-406-163)

He expects it may be hard to adjust to being a civilian again, would like them to have their own home, can't send money this month.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-406-163/

doc Letter from Alvin Uchiyama to Kathleen Koga Uchiyama (ddr-densho-406-141)

Letter torn, lines missing. Asks if she knows what she will do when the camps close, doesn't expect to be home until 1946.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-406-141/

doc Letter from Alvin Uchiyama to Kathleen Koga Uchiyama (ddr-densho-406-128)

If the camps close, thinks it would be best for Kathleen and Yuri (Aileen) to go with his parents, regrets not having volunteered for combat because could have gotten a field promotion.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-406-128/

doc Letter from Kathleen Koga Uchiyama to Alvin Uchiyama (ddr-densho-406-198)

Written after Kathleen and Yuri (Aileen) moved to Mountain View, probably with Alvin's parents. Describes house they are sharing with others with no running water or ceiling, having family around.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-406-198/

doc Letter from Alvin Uchiyama to Kathleen Koga Uchiyama (ddr-densho-406-137)

Sorry to have missed Yuri (Aileen)'s birthday party, still waiting to be transferred, thoughts about where Kathleen and Yuri (Aileen) should go to live next.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-406-137/

doc Letter from Alvin Uchiyama to Kathleen Koga Uchiyama (ddr-densho-406-156)

Saw his brother, Archie, heard that the family has moved to Mt. View California, ask where she is thinking of going when the camps close

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-406-156/

doc Letter from Alvin Uchiyama to Kathleen Koga Uchiyama (ddr-densho-406-91)

Alvin's uncles are planning to return to San Jose.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-406-91/

doc Letter from Alvin Uchiyama to Kathleen Koga Uchiyama (ddr-densho-406-184)

Knows his family will be glad she is jointing them in Mt. View, but he doesn't want her to do any work while she is there, is sending more stockings

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-406-184/

doc Letter from Alvin Uchiyama to Kathleen Koga Uchiyama (ddr-densho-406-117)

Wondering where they might live after the war, doesn't look like he will be coming home soon

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-406-117/

doc Letter from Alvin Uchiyama to Kathleen Koga Uchiyama (ddr-densho-406-126)

Played softball, heard that his parents want Kathleen and Yuri (Aileen) to go with them to San Jose, but he wants them to stay in camp

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-406-126/

doc Letter from Alvin Uchiyama to Kathleen Koga Uchiyama (ddr-densho-406-178)

The war is officially over, but he is waiting to celebrate when he can come home, wants Kathy to visit his sister Kai (Kasumi Uchiyama) before she goes to San Jose after the camp closes.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-406-178/

img A woman at Renton housing (ddr-densho-328-36)

Caption in album: "Renton Housing / Seattle '46 / Miyeko Yoshimoto."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-328-36/