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)

Filters

Facilities

Format

Genre

Usage

Use <Ctrl> or (⌘) keys to select multiple terms

Gallery view
List view

1434 items

img [Photograph of Manzanar camp] (ddr-csujad-29-214)

Photograph of Manzanar camp. Photograph inscription: "Camp + Comm" and "K. Krater interview--1329." See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: P157

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-29-214/

vh An Oral History with Katsuma Mukaeda (ddr-csujad-29-56)

Chairman of Japanese American Cultural Center and former president of Japanese Chamber of Commerce recounts conditions of prewar Los Angeles's Little Tokyo, its wartime conversion into a black community, postwar reestablishment as a Japanese-American cultural and commercial center. Includes comments on discriminatory legislation, prewar Japan-American relations. World War II removal and incarceration, camp conditions, wartime repatriation …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-29-56/

vh An Oral History with Reverend Seytsu Takahashi (ddr-csujad-29-58)

Issei Buddhist bishop and superintendent of Kayasan Temple in Little Tokyo since 1931 recounts his wartime experiences and internment at Fort Missoula, Montana; Livingstone, Louisiana; and Crystal City, Texas. Transcribed in both Japanese and English. This oral history was conducted for the Japanese American Oral History Project, Oral History Program, CSU Fullerton. Transcript is found in …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-29-58/

av Oral history with Lillian Baker (ddr-csujad-29-383)

An oral interview with Lillian Baker, founder of the Americans for Historical Accuracy and opposer of the words "concentration camp" to describe incarceration camps during WWII. The interview was conducted for the Japanese American Oral History Project by California State University, Fullerton. Transcript is found in item: csufccop_jaoh_0946. See this object in the California State Universities …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-29-383/

img [Arthur A. Hansen viewing a COPH document] (ddr-csujad-29-314)

Arthur A. Hansen reading a COPH document with students. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: P257

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-29-314/

img [One woman and three men at Manzanar] (ddr-csujad-29-323)

One woman and two men with a Manzanar National Park Service ranger. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: P266

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-29-323/

img Eastern California Museum (ddr-csujad-29-199)

Photograph of the Eastern California Museum, which has a permanent exhibit on Manzanar. Photograph inscription: "Camp + Comm;" "O.H. 1387;" "Henry Raub Interview." See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: P141

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-29-199/

av An Oral History with Lillie Y. McCabe, Part II (ddr-csujad-29-17)

An oral history with Lillie Y. McCabe, an incarceree at the Santa Anita Temporary Assembly Center and the Granada (Amache) incarceration camp. This interview was conducted for the Japanese American Oral History Project by California State University, Fullerton. The interview covers the Anglo reverends and ministers who helped her while she was incarcerated at Amache, how …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-29-17/

img [Photograph of barbed wire fence and landscape] (ddr-csujad-29-210)

Photograph of barbed wire fence and surrounding barren landscape. Photograph inscription: "Camp + Community;" "M. Gillespie interview O.H. 1345." See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: P152

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-29-210/

img [Woman discussing Estelle Ishigo] (ddr-csujad-29-244)

Photograph of a former Heart Mountain incarceree and oral history narrator discussing Estelle Ishigo, a Caucasian woman and artist who went into camp with her Japanese American husband, Arthur Ishigo, when he was forcibly removed from Los Angeles. Ishigo also worked for the War Relocation Authority while at Heart Mountain. "Lone Heart Mountain" tells the story …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-29-244/

img [Individuals acting out a scene at Manzanar incarceration camp] (ddr-csujad-29-118)

Individuals acting out a scene at Manzanar. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: P038

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-29-118/

[Group photograph of former Manzanar incarceree, students, and Arthur A. Hansen at the Cal State Fullerton's Center for Oral and Public History (COPH)] (ddr-csujad-29-313)

img [Group photograph of former Manzanar incarceree, students, and Arthur A. Hansen at the Cal State Fullerton's Center for Oral and Public History (COPH)] (ddr-csujad-29-313)

Students, former Manzanar incarceree (presumably) and Arthur A. Hansen at COPH. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: P256

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-29-313/

img Lillie McCabe (ddr-csujad-29-19)

Photo of Lillie McCabe. Oral history audio and transcript are found in csufccop_jaoh_0030, csufccop_jaoh_0031, and csufccop_jaoh_0032. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: 1949_P03

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-29-19/

av An Oral History with J.S. Kishiyama and Y. Kishiyama (ddr-csujad-29-3)

Reflections of an elderly Orange County, California couple on their experiences in America. He recounts his years as an immigrant; she discusses her family background, makeup of Japanese-American community, and rural living. This oral history was conducted for the Japanese American Oral History Project, Oral History Program, California State University, Fullerton; interview conducted by Pat Morgan. …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-29-3/

img [Man showing pamphlet to students] (ddr-csujad-29-312)

Possible former Manzanar incarceree showing pamphlet to students. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: P255

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-29-312/

av An oral history with Cheryl Gertler and Travis Mita (ddr-csujad-29-54)

An oral interview with Cheryl Gertler and Travis Mita. The interview was conducted for the Japanese American Oral History Project by California State University, Fullerton. Transcript is found in item: csufccop_jaoh_0172. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: 5287_T01

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-29-54/

av An Oral History with Ikuko Amatatsu Watanabe (ddr-csujad-29-12)

Nisei district manager of an educational corporation discusses samurai ancestry; childhood on Bainbridge Island, Washington, and makeup of Bainbridge Japanese community; incarceration at the Manzanar camp, California, including circumstances as to why Bainbridge Islanders were transferred to the Minidoka camp in Idaho; wartime resettlement to Chicago; and postwar years in California, with particular attention to discriminatory …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-29-12/

img [Photograph of a building in Lone Pine, California] (ddr-csujad-29-191)

Photograph of a building in Lone Pine, California. Photograph inscription: "Camp + Comm" and "Norvil O. Aigner Interview 1396." 1396 refers to Oral History 1396 with Aigner at COPH. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: P133

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-29-191/

doc Letter from T. Nogaki to T. Hirokane and Y. Fujii (ddr-sbbt-2-21)

A letter from T. Nogaki to Messrs. T. Hirokane and Y. Fujii with updates on living in Chicago and requesting information about supplies needed in the Minidoka concentration camp.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-sbbt-2-21/

img Buddhist ministers at New Mexico Detention Camp (ddr-sbbt-2-20)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-sbbt-2-20/

doc Minidoka consumers co-op membership list (ddr-sbbt-2-23)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-sbbt-2-23/

av An Oral History with Meri Hamako Nakashima (ddr-csujad-29-13)

Nisei memories of athletic girlhood; removal to Santa Anita Assembly Center, Los Angeles, California where she witnessed a riot; eventual move to the Rowher incarceration camp, Arkansas; and marriage in and out-of-camp ceremony. This oral history was conducted for the Japanese American Oral History Project, Oral History Program, CSU Fullerton. Transcript is found in item: csufccop_jaoh_0021. …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-29-13/

img [Students conducting research at COPH] (ddr-csujad-29-315)

Students reading documents at COPH. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: P258

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-29-315/

av An Oral History with John Yukio Mori (ddr-csujad-29-2)

A Sansei and conscientious objector to the Vietnam war discusses alternate service as partner in Amerasia Bookstore, a nonprofit organization serving Los Angeles's Little Tokyo; activities in Young Buddhist Association; parent's reaction to his current life-style; and long term effect of World War II incarceration. This oral history was conducted for the Japanese Oral History Project …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-29-2/

av An Oral History with Lillie Y. McCabe, Part I (ddr-csujad-29-16)

An oral history with Lillie Y. McCabe, an incarceree at the Santa Anita Temporary Assembly Center and the Granada (Amache) incarceration camp. This interview was conducted for the Japanese American Oral History Project by California State University, Fullerton. The interview covers her childhood in Hollister, California, her family background; moving to Los Angeles, California in 1920 …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-29-16/