Social and recreational activities

Japanese Americans found ways to fill the long days created by the enforced idleness of camp life. They made jewelry from shells found in the desert, built furniture for their rooms using scrap lumber and renovated the exteriors of their barracks. People also played cards, chess, checkers, mahjongg, and the Japanese games 'go' and 'shogi.' Camp inmates held dances, concerts, plays, and arts and crafts exhibitions. In Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho, they even held a beauty contest to select the "Sweetheart of Minidoka."

World War II (231)
Concentration camps (1434)
Social and recreational activities (1155)

Related articles from the Densho Encyclopedia :
Arts and crafts in camp, Music in camp

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1155 items
Roughnecks club photograph (ddr-manz-10-16)
img Roughnecks club photograph (ddr-manz-10-16)
Original caption: "Roughnecks asfter slumber party. Manzanar 1944."
Calico Cats club photograph (ddr-manz-10-12)
img Calico Cats club photograph (ddr-manz-10-12)
Original caption: "Chiyo Takeda, Chickie Shiba, Grace, Aki Sakamoto, Nutsie Fujimoto, Nancy Takeda, Wes Kanegae."
Calico Cats (ddr-manz-6-62)
img Calico Cats (ddr-manz-6-62)
Original caption: "Chiyo Takeda, Chickie Shiba, Grace Aki Sakamoto, Nutsie Fujimoto, Nancy Kanegai."
Group of young women (ddr-manz-6-38)
img Group of young women (ddr-manz-6-38)
The group is preparing to dunk Ruby Nakamura in the water.
Cosmetology Club (ddr-manz-6-61)
img Cosmetology Club (ddr-manz-6-61)
Original caption: "Back row: 1. Hideko Ohashi, 2. Mari Kakoi; 3. Amy Miyamoto, 4. Sadaye Akemoto, 5. Kazuko Nagai, 6. Hideko Minabe, 7. Tomi Isago, 8. Katie Inouye, 9. Diane Tani, 10. Masako Kurokawa; Middle row: 11. Lillian Uyemura, 12. Mary Hirabara, 13. Duchess Takeuchi, 14. Miss Dorothy Yamamoto, 15. Rikoko Nakamura, 16. Masako Matsuo, 17. …
Queen and her court (ddr-manz-6-56)
img Queen and her court (ddr-manz-6-56)
Original caption: "Her Majesty Haru Ogawa. Attendants: Kiyo Nishi, Riyo Yano, Virgie Kikuta, Yuri Yamazaki."
Children playing in front of barracks (ddr-manz-7-4)
img Children playing in front of barracks (ddr-manz-7-4)
Caption on reverse: "Reiko, Naomi, Akiko, Molly, Emmy."
Two girls playing with a ball (ddr-manz-7-24)
img Two girls playing with a ball (ddr-manz-7-24)
Caption on reverse: "Naomi, Akiko, Milly, Emmy, Alice."
Woman holding a snowball (ddr-manz-7-78)
img Woman holding a snowball (ddr-manz-7-78)
Caption on reverse: "Melva Nielsen, Feb. 23, 1944, Manzanar."
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