Mas Akiyama Segment 21

Family background: born in Eastport, Idaho (ddr-densho-1000-188-1) - 00:03:32
Attending elementary school and Japanese language school as a child (ddr-densho-1000-188-2) - 00:03:04
Memories of prewar Japanese community picnics (ddr-densho-1000-188-3) - 00:04:38
Description of the close-knit Spokane Japanese community: shared funeral expenses (ddr-densho-1000-188-4) - 00:03:11
Prewar interactions between ethnic groups (ddr-densho-1000-188-5) - 00:02:58
Methodist influence in Spokane, Washington, prewar (ddr-densho-1000-188-6) - 00:02:59
Moving with family to Japan as a teenager (ddr-densho-1000-188-7) - 00:03:06
Difficulties attending school in Japan (ddr-densho-1000-188-8) - 00:04:38
Returning to the U.S. at age nineteen; avoiding military conscription (ddr-densho-1000-188-9) - 00:04:04
Reaction to bombing of Pearl Harbor: deciding to volunteer for the military (ddr-densho-1000-188-10) - 00:03:07
A racist encounter following the bombing of Pearl Harbor (ddr-densho-1000-188-11) - 00:04:13
Observations of changes within Spokane community after the bombing of Pearl Harbor (ddr-densho-1000-188-12) - 00:02:45
Hearing about Gordon Hirabayashi (ddr-densho-1000-188-13) - 00:02:25
Visiting concentration camps (ddr-densho-1000-188-14) - 00:04:24
Visiting a friend in Minidoka: "that was the worst camp that I visited" (ddr-densho-1000-188-15) - 00:04:36
Thoughts on Spokane Japanese community after influx of Japanese Americans from concentration camps (ddr-densho-1000-188-16) - 00:03:56
Memories of Isseis' arrest by FBI during a wedding on December 7, 1941 (ddr-densho-1000-188-17) - 00:03:13
Meeting wife and getting married (ddr-densho-1000-188-18) - 00:06:09
Discussion of community leaders (ddr-densho-1000-188-19) - 00:03:23
Encountering a "color line" and housing discrimination after World War II (ddr-densho-1000-188-20) - 00:02:42
Community involvement after World War II (ddr-densho-1000-188-21) - 00:03:33
Involvement in community organizations: Boy Scouts, church (ddr-densho-1000-188-22) - 00:05:56
Thoughts on the changing Japanese American community in Spokane, Washington (ddr-densho-1000-188-23) - 00:01:37
Thoughts on September 11, 2001 (ddr-densho-1000-188-24) - 00:02:37
Description of children and grandchildren (ddr-densho-1000-188-25) - 00:03:43
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ddr-densho-1000-188-21 (Legacy UID: denshovh-amas-01-0021)

Community involvement after World War II

This interview was conducted as part of a project to capture stories of the Japanese American community of Spokane, Washington. Densho worked in collaboration with the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture.

00:03:33 — Segment 21 of 25

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March 15, 2006

Densho Visual History Collection

Densho

Courtesy of Densho

ddr-densho-1000-188

Mas Akiyama

Mas Akiyama

01:30:29 — 25 segments

March 15, 2006

Spokane, Washington

Nisei male. Born May 19, 1917, in Eastport, Idaho, and spent childhood in Spokane, Washington. In 1933 traveled to Japan with family where father became ill and died. Attended school in Japan for three years and then returned to Spokane in 1936 and worked on a farm. Following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, volunteered for military service but failed the medical examination. During the war, took brief trips to Manzanar concentration camp, California, a camp in Arkansas, and Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho. After the war worked as a painter of large signs in Spokane.

(This interview was conducted as part of a project to capture stories of the Japanese American community of Spokane, Washington. Densho worked in collaboration with the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture.)

Tom Ikeda, interviewer; Dana Hoshide, videographer

Densho

Courtesy of Densho

API