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 (1435)

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1435 items

doc Letter to Molly Wilson from Tomoko Ikeda (June 10, 1942) (ddr-janm-1-1)

Handwritten letter written by Tomoko Ikeda to Molly Wilson, June 10, 1942. Letter was written from an assembly center or a relocation center, and mentions adjusting to food in center and missing school.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-janm-1-1/

doc Graduation announcement (with envelope) to Molly Wilson from Chiyeko Akahoshi (June 13, 1944) (ddr-janm-1-112)

Manzanar High School graduation announcement from to Molly Wilson from Chiyeko Akahoshi (June 13, 1944). White card with illustration in bronze of the profile view of two graduates. Envelope is postmarked June 13, 1944 from the Manzanar Incarceration Camp in Manzanar, California.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-janm-1-112/

doc Letter (with envelope) to Molly Wilson from Chiyeko Akahoshi (October 25, 1943) (ddr-janm-1-107)

Handwritten letter to Molly Wilson from Chiyeko Akahoshi (October 25, 1943). Envelope is postmarked October 26, 1943 from the Manzanar Incarceration Camp in Manzanar, California.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-janm-1-107/

doc Letter to Molly Wilson from Mary Murakami (October 6, 1942) (ddr-janm-1-29)

Handwritten letter to Molly Wilson from Mary Murakami (October 6, 1942).

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-janm-1-29/

doc Letter (with envelope) to Mollie Wilson from Lillian (Nobie) Igasaki (March 31, 1944) (ddr-janm-1-51)

Handwritten letter to Molly Wilson from Lillian (Nobie) Igasaki (March 31, 1944). Envelope is postmarked April 1, 1944 from the Manzanar Incarceration Camp in Manzanar, California.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-janm-1-51/

doc Letter (with envelope) to Molly Wilson from Sandie Saito (April 3, 1943) (ddr-janm-1-15)

Handwritten letter to Molly Wilson from Sandie Saito (April 3, 1943). Envelope is postmarked April 5, 1943 from the Granada (Amache) Incarceration Camp in Amache, Colorado.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-janm-1-15/

doc Letter (with envelope) to Molly Wilson from Mary Murakami (July 27, 1942) (ddr-janm-1-31)

Handwritten letter to Molly Wilson from Mary Murakami (July 27, 1942). Envelope is postmarked July 27, 1942 from the Poston (Colorado River) Incarceration Camp in Parker, Arizona.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-janm-1-31/

doc Letter (with envelope) to Molly Wilson from Miyeko Imamura (December 16, 1942) (ddr-janm-1-64)

Handwritten letter to Molly Wilson from Miyeko Imamura (December 16, 1942). Envelope is postmarked February 20, 1943 from the Heart Mountain Incarceration Camp in Cody, Wyoming.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-janm-1-64/

img Photograph of Violet Saito (ddr-janm-1-128)

Black and white image of Violet Saito. She has curly hair and is wearing a dress with bow ties on it and flowers pinned to it. She is standing outside in front of a house. Written on the photograph is: "Dearest Mollie. Love, Violet '43" and written on the back is: "June 24, 1943. Graduation day."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-janm-1-128/

doc Letter (with envelope) to Molly Wilson from Chiyeko Akahoshi (March 25, 1943) (ddr-janm-1-105)

Handwritten letter to Molly Wilson from Chiyeko Akahoshi (March 25, 1943). Envelope is postmarked March 26, 1943 from the Manzanar Incarceration Camp in Manzanar, California.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-janm-1-105/

doc Greeting card (with envelope) to Molly Wilson from Mary Murakami (July 1, 1943) (ddr-janm-1-34)

Greeting card to Molly Wilson from Mary Murakami (July 1, 1943). White card with illustration in green of a sign and cacti. The sign reads "Greetings from Poston" on the front of card. Envelope is postmarked July 2, 1943 from the Poston (Colorado River) Incarceration Camp in Parker, Arizona.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-janm-1-34/

doc Letter (with envelope) to Molly Wilson from Sandie Saito (November 15, 1942) (ddr-janm-1-13)

Handwritten letter to Molly Wilson from Sandie Saito (November 15, 1942). Envelope is postmarked November 18, 1942 from the Granada (Amache) Incarceration Camp in Amache, Colorado.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-janm-1-13/

doc Christmas card (with envelope) to Molly Wilson from Miyeko Imamura (December 14, 1943) (ddr-janm-1-65)

Christmas card to Molly Wilson from Miyeko Imamura (December 14, 1943). White card, brown scroll-type border with illustration in blue/white/red of a snowy village with people gathered around a Christmas tree. Envelope is postmarked December 14, 1943 from the Heart Mountain Incarceration Camp in Cody, Wyoming.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-janm-1-65/

doc Letter (with envelope) to Molly Wilson from Chiyeko Akahoshi (June 8, 1942) (ddr-janm-1-102)

Handwritten letter to Molly Wilson from Chiyeko Akahoshi (June 8, 1942). Envelope is postmarked June 15, 1942 from the Manzanar Incarceration Camp in Manzanar, California.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-janm-1-102/

doc Letter to Molly Wilson from Yuri Shimobochi (August 1, 1942) (ddr-janm-1-56)

Handwritten letter to Molly Wilson from Yuri Shimobochi (August 1, 1942). Letter is from the Heart Mountain Incarceration Camp in Cody, Wyoming.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-janm-1-56/

doc Postcard to Molly Wilson from Sandie Saito (September 28, 1942) (ddr-janm-1-11)

Postcard to Molly Wilson from Sandie Saito (September 28, 1942). It is postmarked October 1, 1942 from the Granada (Amache) Incarceration Camp in Amache, Colorado.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-janm-1-11/

doc Letter (with envelope) to Mollie Wilson from Violet Saito (August 25, 1943) (ddr-janm-1-76)

Handwritten letter to Mollie Wilson from Violet Saito (August 25, 1943). Envelope is postmarked August 26, 1943 from the Granada (Amache) Incarceration Camp in Amache, Colorado.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-janm-1-76/

doc Letter (with envelope) to Molly Wilson from Chiyeko Akahoshi (December 26, 1942) (ddr-janm-1-104)

Handwritten letter to Molly Wilson from Chiyeko Akahoshi (December 26, 1942). Envelope is postmarked December 30, 1942 from the Manzanar Incarceration Camp in Manzanar, California.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-janm-1-104/

doc Letter (with envelope) to Molly Wilson from Sandie Saito (July 17, 1943) (ddr-janm-1-16)

Handwritten letter to Molly Wilson from Sandie Saito (July 17, 1943). Envelope (addressed "The 'Flea' ") is postmarked July 19, 1943 from the Granada (Amache) Incarceration Camp in Amache, Colorado.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-janm-1-16/

doc Christmas card (with envelope) to Molly Wilson from Chiyeko Akahoshi (December 17, 1942) (ddr-janm-1-103)

Christmas card to Molly Wilson from Chiyeko Akahoshi (December 17, 1942). White card with illustration in blue/red of a standing Eskimo and a sitting African American. "North and South it's on everyone's mouth - Merry Christmas to you" is on the front center of card. Envelope is postmarked December 17, 1942 from the Manzanar Incarceration Camp …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-janm-1-103/

doc Postcard to Molly Wilson from Mary Murakami (August 1, 1943) (ddr-janm-1-27)

Postcard to Molly Wilson from Mary Murakami (August 1, 1943). It is postmarked August 2, 1943 from the Poston (Colorado River) Incarceration Camp in Parker, Arizona.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-janm-1-27/

doc Postcard to Mollie Wilson from Sadae (Lillian) Nishioka (1942 - 1945) (ddr-janm-1-99)

Postcard to Mollie Wilson from Sadae (Lillian) Nishioka (1942 - 1945). The postcard is not postmarked but it is from the Poston (Colorado River) Incarceration Camp in Parker, Arizona.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-janm-1-99/

doc The second Rohwer Reunion, "Not Just a Memory" (ddr-csujad-1-51)

A booklet of the second Rohwer Reunion held at Marriott Hotel, Torrance, California, April 16-18, 1999. Personally identifiable information is removed from the image. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: ike_02_01_001

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-1-51/

doc Inside view Japanese American Evacuee Center at Rohwer, Arkansas, 1941-1945 (ddr-csujad-1-203)

A booklet compiled by Colburn Cox Stuart, Superintendent of Schools at McGehee, Desha County, Arkansas, 1941-1945. The booklet describes the children and schools in Rohwer, Arkansas, 1941-1945. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: ike_04_05_001

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-1-203/

doc Historical photographs and documents, from internment camps to Military Intelligence Service Language School [order form] (ddr-csujad-1-190)

A book order form. Books published by TecCom Productions include: Manzanar, Tule Lake, Rohwer, Heart Mountain, Assembly Center I (Santa Anita, Pomona, Fresno, Tulare, Pinedale, Salinas), Assembly Center II (Turlock, Tanforan, Stockton, Sacramento, Marysville, Portland, Puyallup). See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: ike_03_01_004

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-1-190/