Mihara Collection

PARTNER

Densho
Visit partner

COLLECTION ID

ddr-densho-140

DESCRIPTION

The Mihara Collection features photographs of the Mihara family as well as the personal correspondence written by Genji Mihara to his wife during his World War II imprisonment in various detention camps. Mihara, a prominent Issei leader of the Japanese American community, was arrested immediately following the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, and taken to the Seattle INS station. After a few weeks he was transferred to Fort Missoula internment camp, Montana and then to Lordsburg internment camp, New Mexico. Mihara held prominent positions in the camp government system, elected by his fellow internees as mayor at both Fort Missoula and Lordsburg. Like many Issei men, Mihara was separated from his family during this period. His wife, Katsuno, and sons, Roy and Arthur, were held at Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho, while his other son, George, was in the army. An accomplished poet, Mihara's letters to his wife often reflected the sense of longing he felt for his home and family.

INCLUSIVE UNIT DATE

c.1900s-1950s

BULK UNIT DATE

1941-1943

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION

25 photographic prints, black and white; 149 documents

CONTRIBUTOR

Densho

CREATORS

PREFERRED CITATION

Courtesy of the Genji Mihara Family Collection

RIGHTS

Copyright restricted
Copyright restricted

174 Objects

Family portrait (ddr-densho-140-1)
img Family portrait (ddr-densho-140-1)
(L to R): Arthur, Genji, Henry, Setsuko Mihara.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-140-1/
Nihonmachi restaurant (ddr-densho-140-2)
img Nihonmachi restaurant (ddr-densho-140-2)
Genji Mihara talks with the waiter at an Issei-operated cafe in Seattle's Nihonmachi or Japantown. (L to R): Genji Mihara, Sakae Ojima, unidentified.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-140-2/
Class photo (ddr-densho-140-3)
img Class photo (ddr-densho-140-3)
Genji Mihara (Second row, third from left)
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-140-3/
Class photo (ddr-densho-140-4)
img Class photo (ddr-densho-140-4)
Genji Mihara (front row, fourth from left)
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-140-4/
Issei man (ddr-densho-140-5)
img Issei man (ddr-densho-140-5)
Genji Mihara (?)
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-140-5/
Issei man and son (ddr-densho-140-6)
img Issei man and son (ddr-densho-140-6)
Genji Mihara
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-140-6/
Family portrait (ddr-densho-140-7)
img Family portrait (ddr-densho-140-7)
(L to R): Genji, Arthur, and Setsuko Mihara.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-140-7/
Wedding portrait (ddr-densho-140-8)
img Wedding portrait (ddr-densho-140-8)
Genji Mihara and wife, Katsuno Mihara.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-140-8/
Issei woman (ddr-densho-140-9)
img Issei woman (ddr-densho-140-9)
Mrs. Katsuno Mihara
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-140-9/
Family portrait (ddr-densho-140-10)
img Family portrait (ddr-densho-140-10)
(L to R): Katsuno Mihara, Roy Mihara, Arthur Mihara, Fumi Kesamaru Mihara (wife of Arthur)
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-140-10/

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