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 [Yasu and group by the river] (ddr-csujad-56-236)

A group of Japanese American incarcerees by the Arkansas River with a young man named Yasu in the left foreground. Page 22 of Kawase Family Photo Album, Book Two. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-03-045

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-236/

doc Letter to Joe and Lea Perry, January 26, 1944 (ddr-csujad-56-64)

Letter 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_9062. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-01-062

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-64/

doc Letter from Kazuo Ito to Lea Perry, February 2, 1944 (ddr-csujad-56-67)

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_9065. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-01-065

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-67/

doc Letter from Lea Perry to Kazuo Ito and family, December 26, 1943 (ddr-csujad-56-59)

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. Transcript is found in item: ssu_nbea_9057. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-01-057

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-59/

img [Men by the river] (ddr-csujad-56-143)

Photo of a group of men talking and playing around by the river. Photo provided by Tak Kameoka. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-02-010

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-143/

img [Snake charming] (ddr-csujad-56-224)

Cowl and Masaji sit on the ground at Camp Amache, one holding a snake and the other wearing a turban and playing a wooden flute. Page 10 of Kawase Family Photo Album, Book Two. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-03-033

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-224/

img [River] (ddr-csujad-56-145)

Photo of the river where incarcerees were visiting outside camp. Photo provided by Tak Kameoka. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-02-012

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-145/

doc Letter from Lea Perry, January 7, 1944 (ddr-csujad-56-62)

Letter from 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: nbea08-01-060

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-62/

doc Letter from Kazuo Ito to Lea Perry, December 13, 1944 (ddr-csujad-56-97)

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_9095. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-01-095

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-97/

doc Letter from Kazuo Ito to Lea Perry, December 14, 1942 (ddr-csujad-56-30)

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_9028. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-01-028

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-30/

doc Letter from Kazuo Ito to Lea Perry, February 10, 1943 (ddr-csujad-56-39)

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_9037. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-01-037

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-39/

img [Pharmacy] (ddr-csujad-56-182)

Four incarcerees working in the pharmacy lab at camp with a patient at the window. Photo provided by Tak Kameoka. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-02-049

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-182/

img [Haruo in the Garden] (ddr-csujad-56-197)

Haruo Kawase in rock garden with pond. Barracks are in background. Page 6 of Kawase Family Photo Album, Book One. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-03-006

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-197/

img Hop on the truck (ddr-csujad-56-136)

Family photo of the Kameokas in the back of a truck in front of a train. Photo provided by Tak Kameoka. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-02-003

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-136/

doc Letter from Lea Perry to Kazuo Ito, February 17, 1943 (ddr-csujad-56-41)

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_9039. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-01-039

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-41/

doc Letter from Kazuo Ito to Lea Perry, September 7, 1944 (ddr-csujad-56-90)

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_9088. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-01-088

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-90/

doc Letter from Lea Perry to Kazuo Ito, March 16, 1944 (ddr-csujad-56-72)

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: nbea08-01-070

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-72/

img [Incarcerees entering living quarters] (ddr-csujad-56-135)

Two men entering a dorm at the camp with suitcases in hand. Photo provided by Tak Kameoka. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-02-002

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-135/

doc Letter from Kazuo Ito to Lea Perry, March 25, 1944 (ddr-csujad-56-74)

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: nbea08-01-072

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-74/

img [Group portrait of the Kawase family] (ddr-csujad-56-254)

Portrait of the Kawase family with Great Grandma Holly in the middle. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-03-063

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-254/

img [Newspaper packaging] (ddr-csujad-56-215)

Incarcerees fold and package camp newspaper for distribution. Page 1 of Kawase Family Photo Album, Book Two. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-03-024

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-215/

doc Letter from Frank Ito to Joe and Lea Perry, November 2, 1943 (ddr-csujad-56-132)

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. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-01-130

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-132/

doc Letter from Kazuo Ito to Lea Perry, September 14, 1942 (ddr-csujad-56-17)

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: nbea08-01-015

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-17/

doc Letter from Kazuo Ito to Lea Perry, March 27, 1944 (ddr-csujad-56-75)

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_9073. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-01-073

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-75/

img [Harvesting] (ddr-csujad-56-172)

Five men of the camp harvesting crops from the field. The bottom left side of the photo is blurry and much of it is hard to decipher. Photo provided by Tak Kameoka. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-02-039

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-172/