May Y. Namba Interview Segment 23

Parents' background (ddr-densho-1000-171-1) - 00:03:21
Born second of five children (ddr-densho-1000-171-2) - 00:01:24
Attending elementary school in Japan (ddr-densho-1000-171-3) - 00:02:31
Returning to the U.S.; attending church, kindergarten (ddr-densho-1000-171-4) - 00:03:59
Childhood memories: "I was pretty carefree" (ddr-densho-1000-171-5) - 00:01:42
Religion as a child; father's involvement in community activities (ddr-densho-1000-171-6) - 00:06:42
Memories of high school: barred from attending the prom because of race (ddr-densho-1000-171-7) - 00:06:24
(ddr-densho-1000-171-8) - 00:02:23
Working as a clerk in the Seattle School District (ddr-densho-1000-171-9) - 00:04:17
The bombing of Pearl Harbor: "the whole world changed then" (ddr-densho-1000-171-10) - 00:05:14
Aftermath of Pearl Harbor: returning to school, dealing with curfew and other restrictions (ddr-densho-1000-171-11) - 00:03:38
Resigning from position at the Seattle School District under pressure from parent movement (ddr-densho-1000-171-12) - 00:08:42
Volunteering with the JACL to help people prepare for mass removal (ddr-densho-1000-171-13) - 00:06:09
Removed to Puyallup Assembly Center, Washington (ddr-densho-1000-171-14) - 00:03:54
Spending twentieth birthday in camp: receiving a birthday cake from a military police officer (ddr-densho-1000-171-15) - 00:03:04
Memories of Puyallup Assembly Center: meeting people from Alaska (ddr-densho-1000-171-16) - 00:04:40
Moving to Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho: "It was a very dismal feeling" (ddr-densho-1000-171-17) - 00:03:39
Finding work in camp: teacher's assistant, administration office (ddr-densho-1000-171-18) - 00:02:01
Conflict in camp: father's considers going to Japan, the so-called "loyalty questionnaire" (ddr-densho-1000-171-19) - 00:03:41
Leaving camp temporarily for Spokane, Washington; encountering discrimination on the way back to camp (ddr-densho-1000-171-20) - 00:05:43
Recreational activities in camp, meeting future husband (ddr-densho-1000-171-21) - 00:03:10
Leaving camp for Chicago, Illinois; being investigated by the FBI (ddr-densho-1000-171-22) - 00:05:45
Working for the Boy Scouts of America (ddr-densho-1000-171-23) - 00:04:18
(ddr-densho-1000-171-24) - 00:04:58
Returning to Seattle, Washington, getting married (ddr-densho-1000-171-25) - 00:03:20
Living in Portland, Oregon, while husband finished school (ddr-densho-1000-171-26) - 00:02:30
Having children and helping them cope with issues of ethnic identity (ddr-densho-1000-171-27) - 00:06:30
Returning to school during turbulent 1960s (ddr-densho-1000-171-28) - 00:06:31
Enjoying attending the University of Washington as an older person (ddr-densho-1000-171-29) - 00:04:54
Attending the redress hearings, hearing the emotional testimony (ddr-densho-1000-171-30) - 00:03:30
Helping to obtain redress for the Seattle School district clerks (ddr-densho-1000-171-31) - 00:06:15
Thoughts on receiving redress money (ddr-densho-1000-171-32) - 00:04:11
Husband's experiences during World War II serving with the 522nd Field Artillery Battalion (ddr-densho-1000-171-33) - 00:03:33
Thoughts on September 11, 2001 (ddr-densho-1000-171-34) - 00:04:08
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ddr-densho-1000-171-23 (Legacy UID: denshovh-nmay-01-0023)

Working for the Boy Scouts of America

00:04:18 — Segment 23 of 34

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October 21, 2004

Densho Visual History Collection

Densho

Courtesy of Densho

ddr-densho-1000-171

May Y. Namba

May Y. Namba Interview

02:26:41 — 34 segments

October 21, 2004

Seattle, Washington

Nisei female. Born May 12, 1922, in Seattle, Washington. Spent brief time in Japan as a young child, then returned to Seattle. Worked as a clerk in the Seattle School District until the onset of World War II, then was forced to resign under pressure from parent groups. Removed with family to Puyallup Assembly Center, Washington, and Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho. Moved to Chicago after leaving camp before eventually returning to Seattle. Took part in the redress movement of the 1980s, helping to obtain redress for the Japanese American Seattle School district clerks who wrongly lost their jobs.

Alice Ito, interviewer; Dana Hoshide, videographer

Densho

Courtesy of Densho

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