Concentration camps

The War Relocation Authority (WRA) oversaw construction of ten concentration camps in sparsely populated and isolated areas. Between June and October 1942, Japanese Americans were transferred from the "assembly centers" to the larger camps. Housing approximately 120,000 people, the camps were designed to be self-contained communities, complete with hospitals, post offices, schools, warehouses, and residential areas. The WRA attempted to establish normalcy by setting up newspapers, a degree of self-government, sports leagues, and social events. But confinement, monotony, and harsh conditions exacerbated tensions between pro- and anti-camp administration residents and between the disempowered Issei and their U.S.-born Nisei children. At several centers, conflicts erupted into violence and at the Manzanar concentration camp the unrest resulted in fatal shootings. The WRA gradually granted work and school leave to those they considered "loyal." The last camp closed in March 1946.

World War II (231)
Concentration camps (1434)

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1434 items

img [Picnic group photo] (ddr-csujad-56-228)

A group of incarcerees eat a picnic lunch by the Arkansas River near Camp Amache. Page 14 of Kawase Family Photo Album, Book Two. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-03-037

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-228/

img Amache W.R.A. Hospital (ddr-csujad-56-153)

Hospital at Amache. Photo provided by Tak Kameoka. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-02-020

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-153/

doc Letter from Kazuo Ito to Lea Perry, July 23, 1942 (ddr-csujad-56-13)

Letter from Kazuo Ito to Lea Perry. The original letters are housed with the Sonoma County Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), and were borrowed for digitization courtesy of the JACL, December 2014. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-01-011

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-13/

doc Letter from Lea Perry to Kazuo Ito, March 2, 1943 (ddr-csujad-56-42)

Letter from Lea Perry to Kazuo Ito. The original letters are housed with the Sonoma County Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), and were borrowed for digitization courtesy of the JACL, December 2014. Transcript is found in item: ssu_nbea_9040. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-01-040

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-42/

img [Produce display] (ddr-csujad-56-167)

Selection of produce on display with a sign above it saying "Amache Farmers". Photo provided by Tak Kameoka. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-02-034

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-167/

img [Ladies by the river] (ddr-csujad-56-226)

Fuki, Miko and another female incarceree crouch in the sand by the Arkansas River. Page 12 of Kawase Family Photo Album, Book Two. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-03-035

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-226/

img [Mess hall] (ddr-csujad-56-156)

Incarcerees eating in the mess hall. Photo provided by Tak Kameoka. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-02-023

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-156/

doc Letter from Kazuo Ito to Lea Perry, November 6, 1942 (ddr-csujad-56-22)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-22/

doc Letter from Lea Perry to Kazuo Ito, March 29, 1944 (ddr-csujad-56-76)

Letter from Lea Perry to Kazuo Ito. The original letters are housed with the Sonoma County Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), and were borrowed for digitization courtesy of the JACL, December 2014. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-01-074

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-76/

doc Letter from Lea Perry to Kazuo Ito and family, April 4, 1951 (ddr-csujad-56-129)

Letter from Lea Perry to Kazuo Ito and family. The original letters are housed with the Sonoma County Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), and were borrowed for digitization courtesy of the JACL, December 2014. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-01-127

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-129/

doc Letter from Lea Perry to Kazuo Ito, February 22, 1944 (ddr-csujad-56-69)

Letter from Lea Perry to Kazuo Ito. The original letters are housed with the Sonoma County Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), and were borrowed for digitization courtesy of the JACL, December 2014. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-01-067

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-69/

doc Letter from Lea Perry to Kazuo Ito, December 22, 1942 (ddr-csujad-56-31)

Letter from Lea Perry to Kazuo Ito. The original letters are housed with the Sonoma County Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), and were borrowed for digitization courtesy of the JACL, December 2014. Transcript is found in item: ssu_nbea_9029. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-01-029

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-31/

img [Dance] (ddr-csujad-56-159)

Young Japanese Americans dancing together at a camp dance. Photo provided by Tak Kameoka. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-02-026

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-159/

doc Letter from Joe Perry to Kazuo Ito, January 11, 1945 (ddr-csujad-56-102)

Letter from Joe Perry to Kazuo Ito. The original letters are housed with the Sonoma County Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), and were borrowed for digitization courtesy of the JACL, December 2014. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-01-100

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-102/

img [Crop land] (ddr-csujad-56-158)

Photo of crops behind a few of the living quarters at camp. Photo provided by Tak Kameoka. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-02-025

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-158/

img [Picnic by the river] (ddr-csujad-56-247)

Japanese American incarcerees eat and talk by the Arkansas River. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-03-056

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-247/

doc Letter from Kazuo Ito to Lea Perry, February 28, 1944 (ddr-csujad-56-70)

Letter from Kazuo Ito to Lea Perry. The original letters are housed with the Sonoma County Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), and were borrowed for digitization courtesy of the JACL, December 2014. Transcript is found in item: ssu_nbea_9068. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-01-068

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-70/

doc Letter from Kazuo Ito to Lea Perry, 1952 (ddr-csujad-56-131)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-131/

doc Letter from Minoru Ito to Joe and Lea Perry, September 4, 1944 (ddr-csujad-56-89)

Letter from Minoru Ito to Joe and Lea Perry. The original letters are housed with the Sonoma County Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), and were borrowed for digitization courtesy of the JACL, December 2014. Transcript is found in item: ssu_nbea_9087. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-01-087

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-89/

img Oh! My aching back! (ddr-csujad-56-171)

Men of the camp working in the field with baskets next to them for harvesting. Photo provided by Tak Kameoka. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-02-038

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-171/

img [Sharing food] (ddr-csujad-56-242)

Two young men from Camp Amache share barbecued meat as they pose for the camera. Page 28 of Kawase Family Photo Album, Book Two. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-03-051

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-242/

img [Winter scenes] (ddr-csujad-56-188)

Photo of Camp Amache living quarters in the snow. Photo provided by Tak Kameoka. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-02-055

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-188/

img [Sitting by the river] (ddr-csujad-56-225)

Mazie and Cowl and two others sit by the Arkansas River near camp. Page 11 of Kawase Family Photo Album, Book Two. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-03-034

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-225/

img [Kawase family photo] (ddr-csujad-56-250)

Portrait of the Kawase family in color. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-03-059

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-250/

img [Three boys] (ddr-csujad-56-204)

Three Japanese American incarcerees, all young boys, standing in descending height in front of living quarters door. Page 13 of Kawase Family Photo Album, Book One. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-03-013

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-204/