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 (288)
Returning home (1049)

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1049 items

img Portland Rose Festival Parade- Float 27 "Motor Show 1907" (ddr-one-1-467)

Color slide of Rose Festival Parade float 27 driving down W Burnside in front of a crowd gathered outside the Noon Bag Company and White Stag Manufacturing. The side of the float reads "Portland Auto Dealers." Written on the front is "Motor Show 1907." A small yellow sign is placed on the front of the float …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-467/

img Odori folk dance (ddr-one-1-66)

Color slide of four unidentified women in yukatas or kimonos with Japanese straw hats performing Odori (traditional Japanese folk dance) at night.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-66/

img Horse in stables (ddr-one-1-441)

Color slide of a brown horse with a large white spot on its head inside a stable that surrounded by straw. According to donor processed on June 20, 1951.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-441/

img Northwest Buddhist Convention Banquet- Kitchen (ddr-one-1-428)

Black and white photographic negative of women plating food in the kitchen of the Seattle Buddhist Church for the Northwest Buddhist Convention Banquet. Behind the stove from right to left: Irene (Yamaguchi) Tatsuta, Betty Kurimoto Yamasaki, Noriko (Ichikawa) Kurashige, and May Matsumoto, others unidentified.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-428/

img Wedding of Sam Sakamoto and Hanaye (Fujiwara) Sakamoto (ddr-one-1-34)

Original black and white photographic print of the bride, Hanaye (Fujiwara) Sakamoto, standing in front of the alter holding her bouquet.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-34/

img Obon Festival (ddr-one-1-183)

Black and white photographic negative of a large seated crowd. Obon dancers crouched on the sideline. First crouched man on left side is Nobi Saito, first seated man from left is Tom Shigeto Tamiyasu. Obon is an annual event hosted by the Oregon Buddhist Church (now known as Oregon Buddhist Temple) and attended by the wider …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-183/

img Portland Rose Festival Parade- "Tom and Huck" (ddr-one-1-468)

Color slide of a Rose Festival Parade float driving down W Burnside in front of a crowd gathered outside the Noon Bag Company building. The float depicts Tom and Huckleberry Finn riding on a raft. Two boys are dressed up as the characters and wave to the crowd. The side of the float reads "University of …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-468/

img Reed College (ddr-one-1-356)

Black and white photographic negative of siblings Carlos Ogimi and Ayame Ogimi at Reed College, where they both attended school.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-356/

img Cliff side (ddr-one-1-451)

Color slide of a mountain cliff side. According to donor processed on June 20, 1951.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-451/

img Portland Rose Festival Parade- float 30 "Big Top" (ddr-one-1-146)

Color slide of Rose Festival Parade float 30 driving down Burnside in front of a crowd outside the Shoreline Hotel and Cafe. The float has small opening in the front with the word "Enter" written in flowers and a small yellow sign next to it with the number 30 on it. A woman dressed in yellow …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-146/

img Obon Festival Dance Rehearsal (ddr-one-1-311)

Black and white photographic negative of Obon dancers rehearsing an Odori folk dance in front of a small audience inside Norse Hall. Obon dancers from left to right: Shig Yuzuriha, Shig Oka, Hiro Okayama, unidentified, and Arthur Ojiro “Art” Sasaki. Obon is an annual event hosted by the Oregon Buddhist Church (now known as Oregon Buddhist …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-311/

img Third Annual Oregon Nisei Bowling League Tournament Dance- Seated couple (ddr-one-1-122)

Black and white photographic negative of couples sitting around two tables at the Third Annual Nisei Bowling League Tournament Dance at McElroy's Ballroom in Portland, Oregon. One couple is smiling for the camera. Left to right: Yuri Sasaki, Sam "Pompadour Sam" Sasaki, May Sono, and George Sono. Woman standing in left background is identified as May …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-122/

img Obon Festival- Dancers (ddr-one-1-248)

Black and white photographic negative of Eddie Tamiyasu posing for the camera in his Obon costume. Obon is an annual event hosted by the Oregon Buddhist Church (now known as Oregon Buddhist Temple) and attended by the wider Nikkei community.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-248/

img Nisei at Epworth United Methodist Church (ddr-one-1-341)

Black and white photographic negative of Nisei at Epworth United Methodist Church most likely during the Northwest Methodist Rally. Nisei are gathered around a table filling out sheets of paper. Standing at the head of the table leaning over the table is Elsie (Morita) Onishi. Standing on the left side of the table, leaning over filling …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-341/

img Nisei Bowling League Women's Team (ddr-one-1-128)

Original black and white photographic print of a Nisei women's bowling team. The team is posed in front of a Ford sedan with a bowling ball and monogrammed shirts. Back row left to right: Kathleen Sasaki, Yoko (Hishikawa) Iwata, and Takako Inukai. Front row left to right: Toshi (Tamiyasu) Fukuhara, and Sachi (Nakata) Nakashima. Negative ONLC …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-128/

img Oregon Buddhist Church 50th Anniversary Celebration Procession (ddr-one-1-49)

Color slide of procession in front of the US Customs House in Northwest Portland. Women in brightly colored kimonos or yukatas form two lines. Followed by four more women in somber colored kimonos or yukatas. Procession from left to right: Betty Nakashimada, Atsuko "Alice" (Matsumoto) Ando, Jean Matsumoto, Kathleen "Kathie" Haruko (Matsuda) Sato, Aki (Shiraishi) Dong, …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-49/

img Obon Festival- Dancers (ddr-one-1-313)

Black and white photographic negative of two Obon dancers in costume. From left to right: Joyce (Sasaki) Olsen and Susanne Mineko (Sasaki) Myers. Obon is an annual event hosted by the Oregon Buddhist Church (now known as Oregon Buddhist Temple) and attended by the wider Nikkei community.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-313/

img Record DJ (ddr-one-1-97)

Black and white photographic negative of Jayne (Katada) Furukawa at a record table with 78 rpm records. She and Oscar Murahashi are exchanging a record.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-97/

img Obon Festival- Odori folk dance (ddr-one-1-219)

Black and white photographic negative of Obon dancers performing before a crowd. First woman in crowd on left side: Marian Hara. Obon dancers left line from right to left: Haru Fujii, Tamuro Miura, and Nobuko Yoshida. Obon dancers right line from right to left: Jimmy Yoshida. Obon is an annual event hosted by the Oregon Buddhist …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-219/

img Valentine's Day potluck at Oregon Buddhist Church (ddr-one-1-61)

Color slide of young men and women filling plates at Valentine's Day potluck at Oregon Buddhist Church (now known as the Oregon Buddhist Temple). From left to right: Ben Ishida, Atsuko "Alice" (Matsumoto) Ando, Frances (Kinoshita) Mayeda, and Arthur "Art" Ojiro Sasaki.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-61/

img Obon Festival- Odori folk dance (ddr-one-1-215)

Black and white photographic negative of Obon dancers performing before a crowd. Obon dancers from left to right: Susanne Mineko (Sasaki) Myer, Susan Shizuko (Yoshida) Kurimoto, Mrs. Okayama, unidentified, Mary Yamaguchi, Jean (Tsujimura) Takashima, Atsuko "Alice" (Matsumoto) Ando, Noburo Takashima, Atsuko "Alice" Kida, remaining dancer unidentified. Obon is an annual event hosted by the Oregon Buddhist …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-215/

img Portland Rose Festival Parade- Float 43 "Kiwanis" (ddr-one-1-159)

Color slide of Rose Festival Parade float 43 driving down W Burnside in front of a crowd outside the Shoreline Hotel. The sign for the Blue Eagle Cafe is visible in the background as well as a woman dressed in a Native American costume riding a Paint horse. The float is a large clown head with …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-159/

img Obon Festival- Dancers (ddr-one-1-274)

Black and white photographic negative of two Obon dancers with tenugui (light cotton towels) around their necks posing for the camera. On left is Yukiye Itoyama. Obon is an annual event hosted by the Oregon Buddhist Church (now known as Oregon Buddhist Temple) and attended by the wider Nikkei community.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-274/

img Northwest Methodist Rally Portland (ddr-one-1-74)

Original black and white photographic print of the attendees of the Northwest Methodist Rally in Portland on November 23-25, 1951. The group is posed in front of the old Epworth Methodist Church building. Inscription on photograph reads "Northwest Methodist Rally Portland Nov. 23-25, 1951". Front row left to right starting third from left: Rupert Fujii, Shig …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-74/

img Portland Rose Festival Parade- float 10 "Blowing Bubbles" (ddr-one-1-476)

Color slide of Rose Festival Parade float 10 driving down W Burnside in front of a crowd gathered outside the Grant and Shoreline Hotels. The float is made of pink and white flowers with two female riders sitting and waving to the crowd. The side of the float reads "U.S. National Bank," the front reads "Blowing …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-476/