Tanforan

img Japanese Americans in mess hall line (ddr-densho-151-44)

Original WRA caption: San Bruno, California. View of the Tanforan Assembly Center, showing a type of barrack peculiar to the center. Also shown in part of a line-up of evacuees waiting for places in the mess hall for their noon meal.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-44/

img View of barracks (ddr-densho-151-344)

Original caption: San Bruno, California. This scene shows one type of barracks for family use. These were formerly the stalls for race horses. Each family is assigned to two small rooms, the inner one, of which, has no outside door nor window. The center has been in operation about six weeks and 8,000 persons of Japanese …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-344/

img Assembly center barracks (ddr-densho-151-19)

Original WRA caption: Tanforan Assembly center, San Bruno, California. Barracks for family living quarters. Each door enters into a family unit of two small rooms. Tanforan assembly center was opened two days before the photograph was made. On the first day there had been a heavy rain. When a family has arrived here, first step of …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-19/

img Japanese Americans waiting in mess hall line (ddr-densho-151-354)

Original caption: San Bruno, California. Noon time: Meal times are the big events of the day at assembly centers. Shown here is a line-up of evacuees waiting for the "B" shift. They carry with them their own dishes and cutlery in cloth bags to protect them from the dust, which they, themselves, individually wash after every …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-354/

img Japanese Americans preparing to vote (ddr-densho-151-334)

Original caption: San Bruno, California. Entering Recreational Hall where election is being held for Councilman. A general election for five members of the Tanforan Assembly Center Advisory Council is being held on this day. The Issei have never been able to vote before because of American naturalization laws.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-334/

img Japanese American workers digging a ditch (ddr-densho-151-342)

Original caption: San Bruno, California. Maintenance work, repair and construction is done by volunteer evacuee workers. The wages are $8.00 per month for 48 hours per week. This gang of boys and young men are digging a drainage tank along the front of one of the barracks.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-342/

img Japanese Americans inside barracks (ddr-densho-151-330)

Original caption: San Bruno, California. Old Mr. Konda in barrack apartment, after supper. He lives here with his two sons, his married daughter and her husband. They share two small rooms together. His daughter is seen behind him, knitting. He has been a truck farmer and raised his family who are also farmers, in Centerville, Alameda …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-330/

img Dental clinic (ddr-densho-151-341)

Original caption: San Bruno, California. The dental clinic in one of a group of four buildings devoted to medical services. All medical services at this assembly center are conducted by doctors and nurses of Japanese ancestry. After weeks of difficulty due to lack of equipment and facilities, they are now able to care for the needs …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-341/

img Horse stall at the Tanforan Assembly Center (ddr-densho-151-20)

Original WRA caption: San Bruno, California. A near- view of a horse stall left from days when what is now Tanforan Assembly center, was the famous Tanforan Race Track. Most of these stalls have been converted into family living quarters for evacuated Japanese.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-20/

img View of barracks and mess hall (ddr-densho-151-345)

Original caption: San Bruno, California. Another view of barracks at the Tanforan Assembly center, after approximately six weeks of occupancy. The building on the right is one of the eighteen such mess halls which, together, accommodate approximately 8,000 persons for three meals each day.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-345/

img Women's latrine (ddr-densho-151-356)

Original caption: San Bruno, California. In this scene are shown sanitary facilities; campaign poster (5 Councilmen to be elected at general election) and a row of barracks beyond.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-356/

img Japanese Americans arriving at Tanforan (ddr-densho-151-155)

Original caption: San Bruno, California. Family of Japanese ancestry arrives at assembly center at Tanforan Race track. Evacuees will be transferred later to War Relocation Authority centers where they will be housed for the duration.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-155/

img Japanese American workers resting in shade (ddr-densho-151-343)

Original caption: San Bruno, California. Time out for some of the boys on the Work Corps. All maintenance work, repair and construction is done by volunteer evacuee workers. The wages are $8.00 per month for 48 hours a week. This gang of boys and young men are digging a drainage tank along one of the barracks.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-343/

img "Help wanted" sign (ddr-densho-151-229)

Original caption: San Bruno, California. "Help Wanted" sign displayed for newly arrived evacuees. There was much work to be done since the center was opened on the previous day. Three weeks later there were 8,000 persons of Japanese ancestry in this center.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-229/

img Assembly center barracks (ddr-densho-151-25)

Original WRA caption: San Bruno, California. Barracks for family living quarters. Each door enters into a family unit of two small rooms. Tanforan Center was opened two days before this photo was made. The truck seen coming down the dirt road is bringing bed-rolls and baggage to evacuees who have just arrived and are occupying these …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-25/

img Assembly center new arrivals standing in lines (ddr-densho-151-60)

Original WRA caption: San Bruno, California. This assembly center has been open for two days. Bus-load after bus-load of evacuated persons of Japanese ancestry are arriving on this day after going through the necessary procedures, they are guided to the quarters assigned to them in the barracks. Only one mess hall was operating today. Photograph shows …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-60/

img Preschool class (ddr-densho-151-332)

Original caption: San Bruno, California. Pre-school evacuee children at this assembly center number 25 with six volunteer student teachers being trained by a Mills College graduate, all of Japanese ancestry.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-332/

img Nursery school (ddr-densho-151-337)

Original caption: San Bruno, California. A nursery school has been established at this assembly center with young evacuees volunteer student teachers learning nursery school technics [sic] from an evacuee Mills College graduate trained in this work.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-337/

img Japanese American painting (ddr-densho-151-465)

Original caption: San Bruno, California. An art school wall has been established in this Assembly center with large enrollment and a well trained, experienced Japanese staff under the leadership of Professor Chiura Obata of the University of California. This photograph shows a student in Still Life class painting a free water color.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-465/

img Remodeled horse stalls (ddr-densho-151-59)

Original WRA caption: San Bruno, California. This center is a converted race track. Here are shown what were horsestalls remodeled into living quarters for families. Photograph was made at noon on the third day after the center had been opened.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-59/

img Japanese Americans reading in library (ddr-densho-151-353)

Original caption: San Bruno, California. A barrack building at this assembly center has been reserved for the library which has just been established with a trained librarian of Japanese ancestry in charge. All books and magazines have been donated and the shelves were made from scrap lumber by the evacuees.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-353/

img View of barracks (ddr-densho-151-350)

Original caption: San Bruno, California. Looking down one of the avenues between rows of barracks. The ones on the right are converted horse stalls, and those on the left are newly constructed and typical of an assembly center and relocation centers throughout the west. They are 100 feet long, covered with black tar paper, contain five …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-350/

img Two young Japanese Americans (ddr-densho-151-339)

Original caption: San Bruno, California. Young evacuees at this Assembly center begged to have their pictures taken.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-339/

img Japanese American voters (ddr-densho-151-26)

Original WRA caption: San Bruno, California. Here a line is seen waiting to enter the building where they will cast their votes for Councilman from their precinct. A general election for five members of the Tanforan Assembly center Advisory Council is being held on this day. This is the first time Issei have ever been able …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-26/

img View of barracks (ddr-densho-151-346)

Original caption: San Bruno, California. Shown here is one type of barracks for family use. These were formerly the stalls for race horses. Each family is assigned to two small rooms, the inner one with no outside door nor window. The center has been in operation for about six weeks. 8,000 evacuees are now assembled here.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-346/

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