Temporary Assembly Centers

In spring 1942, the Wartime Civil Control Administration (WCCA) hastily prepared temporary "assembly centers" to house the individuals of Japanese ancestry who were removed from their homes after the signing of Executive Order 9066. The centers were surrounded by barbed-wire fences and patrolled by armed military police. People were housed in animal stalls and barracks with communal bathrooms and mess halls. After spending up to six months in the "assembly centers," Japanese Americans were moved inland to permanent concentration camps.

World War II (231)
Temporary Assembly Centers (231)

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231 items

doc Letter from Grace Sumida Nagai to Chimata Sumida (ddr-densho-379-29)

Grace Sumida's letter to her father, Chimata Sumida regarding life at Santa Anita Assembly Center. She mentions that 5 adults occupy a 12' x 20' room in their barracks. She mentions that all Japanese reading material with the exception of Bibles, hymnals and dictionaries were contraband, and Japanese records were off limits as well.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-379-29/

doc Letter from Emmy Sumida Ito to Chimata Sumida (ddr-densho-379-32)

Letter shares writer's request that Chimata be able to join the family in Santa Anita very soon before they are split up.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-379-32/

doc Letter from Ken Ito to Chimata Sumida (ddr-densho-379-24)

Ken Ito apologizes to his new father-in-law, Chimata Sumida, for not writing in awhile because of all the chores of packing and unpacking after arriving at Santa Anita Assembly Center.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-379-24/

doc Letter from Rayko (Grace) Sumida to Chimata Sumida (ddr-densho-379-33)

Letter shares news that Emmy Sumida Ito and her husband Ken will be leaving for the Amache Relocation Center the next day, and the rest of the immediate family would be leaving for Arkansas on the 6th of October. She requests that he wire them when he finds out an actual date of transfer because they …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-379-33/

doc Postcard from Chimata Sumida to Grace Sumida (ddr-densho-379-217)

Postcard to tell family that he had been paroled and even though he requested repatriation, the second repatriation ship was postponed indefinitely so he thought he would be able to live with the family for some time.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-379-217/

doc Santa Anita pacemaker, vol. 1, no. 27 (July 18, 1942) (ddr-csujad-55-1259)

Biweekly newspaper published at the Santa Anita Assembly Center from April through October 1942. Current issue includes information on recreational activities, religious services, sports, a new mess system, jobs, bank hours, hygiene clinic, diphtheria shots, an editorial on "defeatism," and the feature "Win, Place, and Show." See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-1259/

doc Credit memo, Lodging Dept. (ddr-csujad-55-862)

Card for lodging supply credits at Pomona Temporary Assembly Center. Issued to Shoji Nagumo. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_0864

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-862/

doc Santa Anita pacemaker, vol. 1, no. 31 (August 1, 1942) (ddr-csujad-55-1263)

Biweekly newspaper published at the Santa Anita Assembly Center from April through October 1942. Current issue includes information on recreational activities, religious services, sports, coupons, regulations, model airplane contest, clothing allowances, an editorial on race-baiting, and the features "Win, Place, and Show" and "Story of the Week." See this object in the California State Universities Japanese …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-1263/

doc Santa Anita pacemaker, vol. 1, no. 19 (June 19, 1942) (ddr-csujad-55-1251)

Biweekly newspaper published at the Santa Anita Assembly Center from April through October 1942. Current issue includes information on recreational activities, religious services, sports, grievances of camouflage net workers, paychecks, Father's Day events, parent-teacher association, "visitor house," an editorial on New York nisei, and the feature "Win, Place, and Show." See this object in the California …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-1251/

doc Santa Anita pacemaker, vol. 1, no. 38 (July 29, 1942) (ddr-csujad-55-1270)

Biweekly newspaper published at the Santa Anita Assembly Center from April through October 1942. Current issue includes information on recreational activities, religious services, sports, departure for incarceration camps, social events, nisei soldiers, an editorial on the right to vote, and the features ""Win, Place, and Show"", ""Post Time"", ""Story of the Week"", and ""Feminine Forum."" See …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-1270/

doc Santa Anita pacemaker, vol. 1, no. 39 (September 2, 1942) (ddr-csujad-55-1271)

Biweekly newspaper published at the Santa Anita Assembly Center from April through October 1942. Current issue includes information on recreational activities, religious services, sports, departure for incarceration camps, funerals, Heart Mountain housing, transfer regulations, an editorial on letters in the Arkansas Gazette, and the features ""Win, Place, and Show"", ""Post Time"", and ""Feminine Forum."" See this …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-1271/

img Maps of incarceration camps in the western United States (ddr-csujad-55-98)

Series of maps including incarceration camps in the western United States, temporary assembly centers in California, Manzanar camp in California, Gila River camp in Arizona, Topaz camp in Utah, Heart Mountain camp in Wyoming, Poston camp in Arizona, Amache camp in Colorado, Tule Lake camp in California, Rohwer camp in Arkansas, Minidoka camp in Idaho, and …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-98/

doc Saturday news (Fresno, California) (May 16, 1942) (ddr-csujad-55-46)

News bulletin from the Fresno Assembly Center. Topics include sanitation, baby formula, milk prescription, repairs, press room, mail order, alien change of address, selective service, church notes, typhoid inoculation, and lost and found. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_00050

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-46/

doc Santa Anita pacemaker, vol. 1, no. 22 (July 1, 1942) (ddr-csujad-55-1254)

Biweekly newspaper published at the Santa Anita Assembly Center from April through October 1942. Current issue includes information on recreational activities, religious services, sports, selective service, a talent show, birth of twins, additional facilities, boy scouts, religious services, sports, recreational activities, schedule of events, an editorial on graduation, and the features "Feminine Forum" and "Win, Place, …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-1254/

doc Santa Anita pacemaker, vol. 1, no. 13 (June 2, 1942) (ddr-csujad-55-1245)

Biweekly newspaper published at the Santa Anita Assembly Center from April through October 1942. Current issue includes information on recreational activities, religious services, sports, center population, jobs, a wedding, farmers, camp statistics, and the feature "Win, Place, and Show." See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_1247

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-1245/

doc Santa Anita pacemaker, vol. 1, no. 35 (August 19, 1942) (ddr-csujad-55-1267)

Biweekly newspaper published at the Santa Anita Assembly Center from April through October 1942. Current issue includes information on recreational activities, religious services, sports, clothing catalog, hospital, an editorial on California, and the features "Feminine Forum" and "Win, Place, and Show." See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_1269

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-1267/

doc Santa Anita pacemaker, vol. 1, no. 34 (August 15, 1942) (ddr-csujad-55-1266)

Biweekly newspaper published at the Santa Anita Assembly Center from April through October 1942. Current issue includes information on recreational activities, religious services, sports, Gene W. Wilbur, a barber shop, nurses, paychecks, Yeiki Matsui, and the features "Win, Place, and Show", "Post Time", "Story of the Week", and "Feminine Forum." See this object in the California …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-1266/

doc Postcard from Mrs. S. Yamamoto to Mrs. J. Waegell, May 9, 1942 (ddr-csujad-55-58)

Handwritten correspondence from S. Yamamoto to Mrs. Waegell. Waegell is spelled as Weigell. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_00062

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-58/

doc Release (Pomona, California), no. 1 (1942): instructions and regulation (ddr-csujad-55-861)

Instructions and regulations for the Pomona Temporary Assembly Center. Covers regulations for housing, mess, health, and work assignments. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_0863

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-861/

doc Santa Anita pacemaker, vol. 1, no. 9 (May 19, 1942) (ddr-csujad-55-1241)

Biweekly newspaper published at the Santa Anita Assembly Center from April through October 1942. Current issue includes information on recreational activities, religious services, sports, special diets, boy scouts, an auto collision, "I am an American day," adult English classes, fire drills, and the feature "Win, Place, and Show." See this object in the California State Universities …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-1241/

doc Santa Anita pacemaker, vol. 1, no. 4 (May 1, 1942) (ddr-csujad-55-1236)

Biweekly newspaper published at the Santa Anita Assembly Center from April through October 1942. Current issue includes information on recreational activities, religious services, sports, a birth at the center, sanitation, postal services, personal property, fire prevention, classes, and other center services. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_1238

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-1236/

doc Santa Anita pacemaker, vol. 1, no. 16 (June 9, 1942) (ddr-csujad-55-1248)

Biweekly newspaper published at the Santa Anita Assembly Center from April through October 1942. Current issue includes information on recreational activities, religious services, sports, camouflage nets, handicrafts, and the feature ""Win, Place, and Show."" See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_1250

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-1248/

doc Santa Anita pacemaker, vol. 1, no. 12 (May 29, 1942) (ddr-csujad-55-1244)

Biweekly newspaper published at the Santa Anita Assembly Center from April through October 1942. Current issue includes information on recreational activities, religious services, sports, boy scouts, memorial day services, medical calls, food, and center statistics, and the feature "Win, Place, and Show." See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_1246

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-1244/

doc Santa Anita pacemaker, vol. 1, no. 21 (June 27, 1942) (ddr-csujad-55-1253)

Biweekly newspaper published at the Santa Anita Assembly Center from April through October 1942. Current issue includes information on recreational activities, religious services, sports, graduation, registration, schedule of events, an editorial on "victory volunteers," and the feature "Win, Place, and Show." See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_1255

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-1253/

doc Santa Anita pacemaker, vol. 1, no. 10 (May 22, 1942) (ddr-csujad-55-1242)

Biweekly newspaper published at the Santa Anita Assembly Center from April through October 1942. Current issue includes information on recreational activities, religious services, sports, food, center residents, clubs, classes, bedding, and the feature "Win, Place, and Show." See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_1244

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-1242/