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

doc Letter from Kazuo Ito to Lea Perry, April 16, 1944 (ddr-csujad-56-77)

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_9075. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-01-075

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-77/

img [Surgery] (ddr-csujad-56-137)

Surgical procedure in progress. Photo provided by Tak Kameoka. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-02-004

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-137/

img [News room] (ddr-csujad-56-220)

Camp newspaper headquarters with man walking past and other incarcerees working on newspaper. Page 6 of Kawase Family Photo Album, Book Two. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-03-029

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-220/

doc Letter from Kazuo Ito to Lea Perry, June 21, 1943 (ddr-csujad-56-49)

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_9047. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-01-047

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-49/

img Strike up the band (ddr-csujad-56-179)

The camp marching band, comprised of teenagers, parades down a dirt road. Photo provided by Tak Kameoka. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-02-046

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-179/

img [In the water] (ddr-csujad-56-146)

Two children running out of the water and a third person holding up their pants standing in the water. A group of people sit and play on the banks. Photo provided by Tak Kameoka. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-02-013

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-146/

img [Barrack housing] (ddr-csujad-56-195)

Living quarters with dirt road running between buildings. Utility posts with wires line the road and incarcerees mill about. Page 4 of Kawase Family Photo Album, Book One. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-03-004

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-195/

doc Letter from Kazuo Ito to Lea Perry, September 24, 1943 (ddr-csujad-56-53)

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: nbea08-01-051

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-53/

doc Letter from Joe Perry to Kazuo Ito, March 12, 1945 (ddr-csujad-56-106)

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: nbea08-01-104

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-106/

img [Two ladies and a building] (ddr-csujad-56-209)

Two young Japanese American women in front of a large building. Page 18 of Kawase Family Photo Album, Book One. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-03-018

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-209/

doc Letter from Frank Ito to Joe and Lea Perry, August 7, 1944 (ddr-csujad-56-86)

Letter from Frank 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_9084. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-01-084

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-86/

img [Sitting by the river] (ddr-csujad-56-238)

A group of Japanese American incarcerees sit and talk by the Arkansas River near Camp Amache. Page 24 of Kawase Family Photo Album, Book Two. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-03-047

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-238/

img [Dentistry lab] (ddr-csujad-56-160)

Line of dentist chairs with patients and dentist working on them. Photo provided by Tak Kameoka. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-02-027

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-160/

doc Letter from Lea Perry to Kazuo Ito, January 31, 1944 (ddr-csujad-56-66)

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: nbea08-01-064

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-66/

doc Letter from Lea Perry to Kazuo Ito, June 18, 1945 (ddr-csujad-56-115)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-115/

img [Group photo by the river] (ddr-csujad-56-232)

Natsuki, Dorothy, a non-incarceree woman, and Chiyoko stand in line in front of the Arkansas River near Camp Amache. Page 18 of Kawase Family Photo Album, Book Two. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-03-041

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-232/

doc Letter from Kazuo Ito to Lea Perry, August 26, 1945 (ddr-csujad-56-123)

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: nbea08-01-121

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-123/

doc Letter from Kazuo Ito to Lea Perry, May 25, 1942 (ddr-csujad-56-8)

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: nbea08-01-006

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-8/

img [Camp crafts] (ddr-csujad-56-165)

Picture of a wood lacquer sculpture of a boy with animals made in the camp. Photo provided by Tak Kameoka. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-02-032

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-165/

img [Soldier] (ddr-csujad-56-151)

Candid portrait of Japanese American soldier holding a parcel. Photo provided by Tak Kameoka. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-02-018

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-151/

doc Letter from Lea Perry to Kazuo Ito, May 25, 1945 (ddr-csujad-56-113)

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_9111. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-01-111

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-113/

doc Letter from Lea Perry to Kazuo Ito and family, November 16, 1943 (ddr-csujad-56-54)

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: nbea08-01-052

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-54/

img [Kitchen fire] (ddr-csujad-56-214)

Kitchen fire that broke out on Block 8K. Page 23 of Kawase Family Photo Album, Book One. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-03-023

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-214/

doc Letter from Kazuo Ito to Lea Perry, July 15, 1942 (ddr-csujad-56-12)

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: nbea08-01-010

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-12/

doc Letter from Lea Perry to Kazuo Ito, October 26, 1944 (ddr-csujad-56-93)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-93/