329 items
329 items
Narrator PJ Hirabayashi
Sansei female. Born May 18, 1950, in San Rafael, California. Grew up in San Rafael, eventually attending California State University, Hayward, and University of California, Berkeley. Earned a master's degree from San Jose State University. Involved in civil rights and Asian American issues while in school. Along with husband, Roy Hirabayashi, founded San Jose Taiko.
Narrator Isao East Oshima
Nisei male. Born April 20, 1921, in Berkeley, California. Family moved frequently as a child, and was living in Oakland, California, when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor in 1941. During World War II, removed to the Tanforan Assembly Center, California, and the Topaz concentration camp, Utah. Left camp for Cleveland, Ohio, eventually settling permanently in the Twin …
Narrator Ben Chikaraishi
Nisei male. Born September 10, 1921, in Colusa, California. As a child, family moved to Stockton, California, where parents owned a hotel. Was attending the University of California at Berkeley when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, and the family was sent to the Rohwer concentration camp, Arkansas. Left camp to live in Chicago, Illinois, where he became …
Narrator Mark M. Nakagawa
Sansei male. Born February 16, 1955, in Los Angeles, California. Graduated from UCLA and the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley. Served as pastor in Sacramento and West Los Angeles before being appointed Senior Minister at the Centenary United Methodist Church in Los Angeles in 2000.
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George Yoshida Interview (ddr-densho-1000-132)
Nisei male. Born April 9, 1922, in Seattle, Washington. Parents immigrated from Japan in the early 1900s. Attended Bailey Gatzert Elementary School and Washington Middle School in Seattle before his family moved to East Los Angeles in 1936. Incarcerated in Poston Detention Camp #1, Arizona, in April 1942. While in camp, helped organize the "Music Makers," …
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Eric K. Yamamoto Interview (ddr-densho-1000-235)
Sansei male. Born 1952 in Honolulu, Hawaii. Attended law school at UC Berkeley, California and became involved with the Asian Law Caucus. After graduating, returned to Hawaii. In the 1980s, left job in Hawaii and moved to the Bay Area to become a member of the pro bono legal team for Korematsu v. United States, …
Narrator Norman I. Hirose
Nisei male. Born June 22, 1926, in Oakland, California. Grew up in Oakland and Berkeley, California. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, removed with family to the Tanforan Assembly Center, California, and Topaz concentration camp, Utah. Signed "no-no" on the so-called "loyalty questionnaire" in 1943 because of mother's wish to have the family move to Japan. …
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Hubert Yoshida Interview (ddr-densho-1000-506)
Sansei male. Born April 20, 1939, in Salinas, California. Grew up in Watsonville, California, where father's parents farmed. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, removed with family to the Salinas Assembly Center, California, and the Poston concentration camp, Colorado. Lived for a time in Colorado before the family returned to farm in Watsonville. Attended school in …
Narrator Bob Utsumi
Nisei male. Born November 12, 1928, in Oakland, California. Grew up in Oakland before being removed to the Tanforan Assembly Center, California, and the Topaz concentration camp, Utah, during World War II. Returned to Oakland with family and attended the University of California at Berkeley before enlisting in the U.S. Air Force. Established career in the …
Narrator Kiyo Yoshimura
Nisei female. Born July 31, 1924, in Berkeley, California. Grew up in Richmond, California, where father worked for the Santa Fe railroad company. During World War II, removed to the Tanforan Assembly Center, California, and the Topaz concentration camp, Utah. Left camp for Chicago, Illinois. Remained in Chicago, becoming a social worker, and getting involved with …
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An Oral History with Norman Y. Mineta (ddr-csujad-29-55)
Japanese American congressman, representing the Thirteenth Congressional District of California, born and raised in San Jose, California, discusses his early life, graduation from the University of California, Berkeley, and receiving a commission and serving in the armed forces from 1953-1956. Recalls the removal, "relocation," and incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II at the Heart …
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Bob Suzuki Interview (ddr-densho-1000-452)
Nisei-han male. Born January 2, 1936, in Portland, Oregon, where father worked for the railroad. During World War II, removed to the Portland Assembly Center, Oregon, and the Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho. After leaving camp, family moved to a small community outside of Spokane, Washington, to farm. Went to UC Berkeley and Caltech, then taught at …
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Kiyo Maruyama Interview (ddr-densho-1003-1)
Nisei male. Born August 28, 1920, in Los Angeles, California. Grew up in the Glendale area, where father ran a gardening business. Was in college at UC Berkeley when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. During World War II, removed to the Manzanar concentration camp, California. Left camp to work in Chicago. Drafted into the army and served …
Narrator Yoshio Matsumoto
Nisei male. Born July 12, 1921, in San Diego, California. Grew up in San Diego, and was attending the University of California at Berkeley on December 7, 1941. Removed to the Tanforan Assembly Center, California. Was selected to leave camp to attend Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. Drafted into the military, completed Officer Candidate School, …
Narrator Cookie Takeshita
Nisei female. Born April 1, 1929, in Alameda, California. Grew up in Alameda, where father ran a gardening business. During World War II, family was ordered to leave Alameda and moved to Cortez, California, before being sent to the Merced Assembly Center, California, and the Amache concentration camp, Colorado. Left camp to attend school in Cleveland, …
Narrator Richard Konda
Sansei male. Born February 27, 1951, in San Francisco, California. Grew up in San Francisco and attended UC Berkeley. Went to law school at Santa Clara and became involved in Asian law student groups and the Asian Law Alliance. Continued community work after law school and was involved in founding the Nihonmachi Outreach Committee in San …
Narrator Roy M. Hirabayashi
Sansei male. Born January 1, 1951, in Berkeley, California. Grew up in Oakland, and got involved with music at an early age. Attended Cal State Hayward and San Jose State during the Civil Rights Movement. Got involved with civil rights and Asian American issues. Along with wife, PJ Hirabayashi, founded the prominent group San Jose Taiko.
Narrator Helen Harano Christ
Sansei female. Born August 26, 1933, in Berkeley, California. Removed to Tanforan Assembly Center, California, and Topaz concentration camp, Utah. Family resettled in North Platte, Nebraska, where father operated a flower shop. Received undergraduate degree in education and sociology from Hastings College in Nebraska. Attended McCormick Seminary in Illinois. Married husband Frank Christ in 1959. Worked …
Narrator Chiyoko Yano
Nisei female. Born February 27, 1918, in Oakland, California. Grew up in Oakland before being removed to the Tanforan Assembly Center, California, and the Topaz concentration camp, Utah. In Topaz, worked for the War Relocation Authority in the Central Statistics Division. Husband served in the OSS, the Office of Strategic Services. Lived in Japan during the …
Narrator Mary Nakata Tomita
Nisei female. Born August 6, 1931, in Alameda, California. Had a twin sister, and as an infant was adopted by mother's cousin and her husband. Grew up in Alameda, where adoptive father ran a garage. During World War II, removed to the Santa Anita Assembly Center, California, and the Heart Mountain concentration camp, Wyoming. Returned to …
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Tetsujiro "Tex" Nakamura Interview (ddr-densho-1000-263)
Nisei male. Born July 16, 1917, in San Francisco, California. Grew up in Sacramento, and graduated from UC Berkeley in 1939. During World War II, was removed to the Tule Lake concentration camp, California. Voluntarily stayed in Tule Lake after it was designated a Segregation Center, and worked in the legal aid office. Assisted attorney Wayne …
Narrator Art Okuno
Nisei male. Born September 15, 1921, in San Francisco, California. Grew up in San Francisco, and was attending the University of California at Berkeley when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Removed with family to the Pomona Assembly Center, California, and the Heart Mountain concentration camp, Wyoming. While in Heart Mountain, served as scoutmaster …
Narrator Tetsujiro "Tex" Nakamura
Nisei male. Born July 16, 1917, in San Francisco, California. Grew up in Sacramento, and graduated from UC Berkeley in 1939. During World War II, was removed to the Tule Lake concentration camp, California. Voluntarily stayed in Tule Lake after it was designated a Segregation Center, and worked in the legal aid office. Assisted attorney Wayne …
Narrator Donald K. Tamaki
Sansei male. Born May 26, 1951, in Oakland, California. Received law degree from UC Berkeley. In the 1980s, served as a member of the pro bono legal team for Korematsu v. United States, a lawsuit to overturn a 40 year old conviction for refusal to obey exclusion orders aimed at Japanese Americans during World War II, …
Narrator Kiyo Maruyama
Nisei male. Born August 28, 1920, in Los Angeles, California. Grew up in the Glendale area, where father ran a gardening business. Was in college at UC Berkeley when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. During World War II, removed to the Manzanar concentration camp, California. Left camp to work in Chicago. Drafted into the army and served …