Betty Morita Shibayama Interview Segment 27

Family background: grandfather "jumped ship" on way to Mexico and landed in Seattle, Washington (ddr-densho-1000-152-1) - 00:07:56
Mother's family background (ddr-densho-1000-152-2) - 00:05:44
Description of photographs of parents and grandparents (ddr-densho-1000-152-3) - 00:06:27
A close call at birth: initially pronounced dead, but saved by grandmother (ddr-densho-1000-152-4) - 00:03:18
Description of siblings (ddr-densho-1000-152-5) - 00:04:43
Early memories of growing up in the Hood River valley: ethnic composition of friends and neighbors (ddr-densho-1000-152-6) - 00:06:35
Attending Methodist church as a child in order to become more "Americanized" (ddr-densho-1000-152-7) - 00:01:53
Growing up on family farm, learning values from grandparents and parents (ddr-densho-1000-152-8) - 00:04:49
(ddr-densho-1000-152-9) - 00:03:14
Returning to school after the bombing of Pearl Harbor; memories of a teacher who came to visit in concentration camp (ddr-densho-1000-152-10) - 00:07:21
Fears of an FBI raid: burning Japanese cultural artifacts (ddr-densho-1000-152-11) - 00:04:29
Memories of prewar Japanese community activities: mochitsuki and picnics (ddr-densho-1000-152-12) - 00:04:52
Reading of a flyer put out by the Hood River chief of police in the days following the bombing of Pearl Harbor (ddr-densho-1000-152-13) - 00:04:10
Family reactions in the months following the bombing of Pearl Harbor; sister hastily getting married (ddr-densho-1000-152-14) - 00:06:28
Some positive memories of supportive Caucasian neighbors in the time leading up to mass removal (ddr-densho-1000-152-15) - 00:06:30
Memories of mass removal as a child: just happy that the family was allowed to stay together (ddr-densho-1000-152-16) - 00:04:16
First impressions of the Pinedale Assembly Center: becoming sick from the heat (ddr-densho-1000-152-17) - 00:05:33
Initial recollections from Tule Lake concentration camp (ddr-densho-1000-152-18) - 00:03:44
Attending school in Tule Lake; memories of a typical day in camp (ddr-densho-1000-152-19) - 00:04:21
Remembering family's discussions involving the so-called "loyalty questionnaire" (ddr-densho-1000-152-20) - 00:03:48
Moving to Minidoka concentration camp; several older siblings leave camp for the Midwest (ddr-densho-1000-152-21) - 00:04:49
First impressions of Minidoka incarceration, Idaho (ddr-densho-1000-152-22) - 00:01:42
Attending grammar school in Minidoka; memories of a teacher who nearly used the term "Jap" (ddr-densho-1000-152-23) - 00:06:18
(ddr-densho-1000-152-24) - 00:01:37
Memories of the funeral service of a family friend who was killed while serving in the U.S. Military Intelligence Service (ddr-densho-1000-152-25) - 00:06:36
A younger sister is born in camp; mother stayed to work in camp while father went out to work in Oregon (ddr-densho-1000-152-26) - 00:07:07
Getting into some mischief with friends; one of the later families to leave camp (ddr-densho-1000-152-27) - 00:03:57
Leaving camp for Chicago and attending school there: "I just felt comfortable" (ddr-densho-1000-152-28) - 00:06:28
Parents find work in Chicago after the war (ddr-densho-1000-152-29) - 00:05:47
Living in Chicago, Illinois, postwar: ethnic composition of high school (ddr-densho-1000-152-30) - 00:06:35
Graduating from high school, meeting future husband and first hearing of the Japanese Peruvians (ddr-densho-1000-152-31) - 00:07:12
Getting engaged to a Japanese Peruvian who was not a U.S. citizen (ddr-densho-1000-152-32) - 00:02:41
Traveling to Florida for honeymoon, first encounter with racial segregation (ddr-densho-1000-152-33) - 00:03:36
Returning as a married couple to Chicago; having two children (ddr-densho-1000-152-34) - 00:05:31
Raising children in time of tumultuous race relations in Chicago (ddr-densho-1000-152-35) - 00:06:16
Deciding to move to San Jose, California in the 1970s; husband obtains his American citizenship (ddr-densho-1000-152-36) - 00:05:36
Getting involved in the Japanese American community in San Jose, California (ddr-densho-1000-152-37) - 00:02:32
Thoughts on the redress movement; feeling happy for parents (ddr-densho-1000-152-38) - 00:04:25
Husband is denied redress as a Japanese Peruvian and begins to speak at public venues (ddr-densho-1000-152-39) - 00:03:48
Decision to not accept the Japanese Peruvians' settlement, and, with others, sue the government for redress (ddr-densho-1000-152-40) - 00:03:12
Memories of attending Tule Lake pilgrimage in 1979 (ddr-densho-1000-152-41) - 00:04:40
Taking a trip to Japan in 1984, meeting relatives (ddr-densho-1000-152-42) - 00:05:11
Experiences lobbying congresspeople in Washington, D.C. on behalf of fight for Japanese Peruvian redress (ddr-densho-1000-152-43) - 00:05:53
Thoughts on current events; message for younger generations: "if they see an injustice that they shouldn't stand by and let it happen" (ddr-densho-1000-152-44) - 00:05:16
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ddr-densho-1000-152-27 (Legacy UID: denshovh-sbetty-01-0027)

Getting into some mischief with friends; one of the later families to leave camp

00:03:57 — Segment 27 of 44

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October 27, 2003

Densho Visual History Collection

Densho

Courtesy of Densho

ddr-densho-1000-152

Betty Morita Shibayama

Betty Morita Shibayama Interview

03:36:56 — 44 segments

October 27, 2003

Seattle, Washington

Nisei female. Born May 30, 1933, in Hood River, Oregon. Raised in the Hood River valley on family farm. After December 7, 1941, removed to the Pinedale Assembly Center, California, and then to the Tule Lake concentration camp, California. In 1943, moved with family to the Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho, before leaving camp for Chicago, Illinois, after the war. Married Art Shibayama, a Japanese Peruvian, and raised a family in Chicago, Illinois and San Jose, California. Involved in lobbying congresspeople in Washington, D.C., on behalf of Japanese Latin Americans and their fight for redress.

Alice Ito, interviewer; Dana Hoshide, videographer

Densho

Courtesy of Densho

API