Dr. Keizaburo Koyama Family Collection

Japanese American Museum of Oregon
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The collection consists of English and Japanese correspondence written primarily to Dr. Keizaburo "Kei" Koyama while he was detained at Department of Justice detention facilities (Fort Missoula, MT, Fort Sill, OK, Camp Livingston, LA, and Santa Fe Detention Center, NM). The letters were sent by his friends and family in Portland, friends detained at other Department of Justice detention facilities and War Relocation Authority concentration camps, and his family detained at the Portland Assembly Center and Minidoka Relocation Center in Hunt, Idaho. The letters document their feelings about separation, war, and the conditions of the various detention facilities and concentration camps they were incarcerated at.

1940-1972

1941-1943

Correspondences that totals 81 letters, four photographs, various other textual documents, and an Order of the Rising Sun certificate and medal; 0.5 linear feet.

Japanese American Museum of Oregon; Portland, Oregon

Courtesy of Dr. Keizaburo Koyama Family Collection, Japanese American Museum of Oregon

246 Objects

Envelope and three letters to Dr. Keizaburo
doc Envelope and three letters to Dr. Keizaburo "Kei" Koyama from Koyama family (ddr-one-5-1)
White envelope addressed to Mr. Kei Koyama in Missoula, Montana, from the Koyama family in Portland. The envelope is postmarked December 31, 1941. A purple "CENSORED" stamp is on the front of the envelope. Inside the envelope are three letters from Kei's daughter, Miriam Kiyo Koyama; his son, William Koyama; and his wife, Teru Koyama. Miriam …
Envelope and letter from Teru Koyama to Dr. Keizaburo
doc Envelope and letter from Teru Koyama to Dr. Keizaburo "Kei" Koyama (ddr-one-5-2)
Envelope addressed to Dr. Kei Koyama at Missoula from his wife, Teru Koyama, in Portland. Postmarked January 6, 1942. In the lower left corner "25" is written in red pencil, and a purple "Censored" stamp is next to the address. Inside the envelope is a letter dated January 6, 1942. There is a purple "CENSORED" stamp …
Envelope and letter to Dr. Keizaburo
doc Envelope and letter to Dr. Keizaburo "Kei" Koyama from Andrew "Uncle Chape" Goodenough and Eva "Aunt Eva" Goodenough (ddr-one-5-3)
Envelope addressed to Dr. Kei Koyama at Missoula from an unknown sender (possibly the Andrew and Eva Goodenoughs). Postmarked January 19, 1942. Purple "CENSORED" stamp on the lower left side of the envelope. On the back of the envelope “Goodenough” is written in pencil. Letter dated Jan 18, 1942, with a return address in Portland from …
Letter to Teru Koyama from Dr. Keizaburo
doc Letter to Teru Koyama from Dr. Keizaburo "Kei" Koyama (ddr-one-5-4)
Letter dated January 27, 1942, to Teru Koyama from her husband, Kei Koyama. In the letter Kei writes about receiving the packages mailed to him and advises that the money he sent is to settle business matters in Portland related to his dental office, and asks her not to lease it Dr. S. but to Dr. …
Postcard to Dr. Keizaburo
doc Postcard to Dr. Keizaburo "Kei" Koyama from Marie (ddr-one-5-5)
One cent postcard addressed to Dr. K. Koyama at Fort Missoula with no return sender. Postmarked Jan. 28, 1942. Purple "Examined" stamp in the upper left corner signed in red pencil. On the back, purple "Examined" stamp over center of text; postage cancellation in lower left corner. The message talks about his daugher Kiyo and wife …
Postcard to Dr. Keizaburo
doc Postcard to Dr. Keizaburo "Kei" Koyama from Teru Koyama (ddr-one-5-6)
One cent postcard addressed to Dr. Kei Koyama at Fort Missoula from his wife, Teru Koyama, in Portland. The address on the front of the postcard is typed. Postmarked Feb 4, 1942. Censored stamp on the front, with an unknown signature in red pencil. Typed message on the back updates Kei about the children, her health, …
Envelope and letter to Dr. Keizaburo
doc Envelope and letter to Dr. Keizaburo "Kei" Koyama from Teru Koyama (ddr-one-5-7)
Yellowed envelope addressed to Dr. Kei Koyama at Fort Missula with two postmarks from Portland; dated February 6, 1942. Handwritten is “Air Mail/SPECIAL DEL.” on the left side of the envelope; in red pencil “Feb 13” is written below. There are two purple stamps in the lower left corner: one is a "Fee" stamp from the …
Envelope and letter to Dr. Keizaburo
doc Envelope and letter to Dr. Keizaburo "Kei" Koyama from Andrew "Uncle Chape" Goodenough and Eva "Aunt Eva" Goodenough (ddr-one-5-8)
Envelope addressed to Dr. Kei Koyama at Fort Missula from Andrew "Uncle Chape" Goodenough and Eva "Aunt Eva" Goodenough. Postmarked Feb 15, 1942. In the lower left corner is an "EXAMINED" stamp. Inside is a letter folded like a card with an "EXAMINED" stamp over the crease; dated February 15, 1942. The letter encourages Kei to …
Envelope, card, and letter to Dr. Keizaburo
doc Envelope, card, and letter to Dr. Keizaburo "Kei" Koyama from Miriam Kiyo Koyama (ddr-one-5-9)
Envelope addressed to Dr. K. Koyama at Fort Missoula from his daughter, Miriam Kiyo Koyama, in Portland. Postmarked March 7, 1942. In the lower left corner is a purple "EXAMINED" stamp with a cursive D written above in red pencil. On the back the envelope is sealed with a red victory sticker. Inside the envelope is …
Envelope and letter to Dr. Keizaburo
doc Envelope and letter to Dr. Keizaburo "Kei" Koyama from Teru Koyama (ddr-one-5-10)
Envelope addressed to Dr. Kei Koyama at Fort Missula from his wife, Teru Koyama, in Portland. Postmarked March 24, 1942. In the lower left corner is a "CENSORED" stamp. The enclosed letter, dated March 23, 1942, has the same stamp at the top of the page. Teru writes about receiving his last letter, which made everyone …

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