Returning home

When the camps closed, Japanese Americans were handed $25 and put on trains headed for the places they had been forcibly removed from nearly four years earlier. Harassment was common -- many returning Japanese Americans were greeted with signs reading "No Japs Allowed." Other discovered their property had been vandalized or stolen. Homes and businesses that had been boarded up or left in the care of others were abandoned and stripped of furnishings and goods. For the majority, who did not have homes to return to, housing was the most serious problem. Housing discrimination was severe in many areas and persisted to varying degrees until the civil rights legislation of the 1960s. Former camp inmates with no other options moved into hostels and converted community institutions with conditions not much better than the camps they had just left. Although this period was stressful, it is remembered as a time when people came together to share what they had.

World War II (283)
Leaving camp (430)
Returning home (1151)

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1151 items

img Nisei in formal dress (ddr-one-1-434)

Black and white photographic negative of four Nisei in formal dress outside. From left to right: Sam “Pompadour Sam” Sasaki, Mieko Fujita, Masako “Massie” (Endo) Hinatsu, and Akiko “Aki” (Endo) Akagi.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-434/

img Yellow Sedan (ddr-one-1-177)

Color slide of a yellow 1950 Studebaker Champion two door sedan with white wall tires and an unknown male driver.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-177/

img Community Picnic (ddr-one-1-379)

Black and white photographic negative of a family sitting at a picnic table at a community picnic at Viking Park hosted by the Oregon Buddhist Church (now known as the Oregon Buddhist Temple). From left to right: unidentified, Kazuo “Kaz” Ochiai, Tamiyo Ochiai, and Zenzaburo Ochiai.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-379/

img Buddhist Convention (ddr-one-1-334)

Black and white photographic negative of large crowd of Buddhists gathered outside Collin's Field House in Seattle, Washington for a Buddhist convention. First row: Kiku Fujita, unidentified, Nancy from Tacoma, and Yasuko (Hashimoto) Morita. Second row, far right is Irene (Fujii) Mano. Third row far right: Sumiye (Fukei) Kato. Fourth row far left: Yosh Tanabe, Ted …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-334/

img Sorelles Group Photo (ddr-one-1-17)

Original black and white photographic print of the Sorelles, a high school social group. Left to right: Grace (Ebihara) Akiyama, Betty Nakashimada, Jean Yasuko (Kida) Tomita, Nami (Miura) Koida, Masae “Elsie” (Morita) Onishi, Beti ann (Minamoto) Wantroba, Mitsy (Kiyomura) Takeoka, Betty Ishida, Elsie Okazaki, Agnes (Inouye) Kitayama, Atsuko "Alice" Kida, Astuko "Alice" (Matsumoto) Ando, Jean Matsumoto, …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-17/

img Obon Festival- Odori folk dance (ddr-one-1-273)

Black and white photographic negative of Obon dancers performing an Odori folk dance at Obon. Obon is an annual event hosted by the Oregon Buddhist Church (now known as Oregon Buddhist Temple) and attended by the wider Nikkei community..

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-273/

img Nisei at Epworth United Methodist Church (ddr-one-1-327)

Black and white original photographic print of Nisei women at Epworth United Methodist Church rolling up newspapers possibly during the Northwest Methodist Rally. From left to right: Martha (Kondo) Miyasaki, Miriam (Koyama) Kiso, Grace (Sakano) Robbs, Jean Yasuko (Kida) Tomita, unidentified, and Masae "Elsie" (Morita) Onishi. For negative please see ONLC 3144 (ddr-one-1-326)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-327/

img Obon Festival- Dancers (ddr-one-1-278)

Black and white photographic negative of three Obon dancers smiling for the camera. From left to right: Beti ann (Minamoto) Wantroba, Nami (Miura) Koida, and Jean Yasuko (Kida) Tomita. Obon is an annual event hosted by the Oregon Buddhist Church (now known as Oregon Buddhist Temple) and attended by the wider Nikkei community.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-278/

img Sunday School (ddr-one-1-92)

Black and white photographic negative of Sunday School class. Students work on coloring project with adult teachers, image of Buddha hangs on wall. Class not taught at the Oregon Buddhist Church, exact location is unknown.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-92/

img Portland Rose Festival Parade- float 22 "Retail Trade Bureau" (ddr-one-1-135)

Color slide of Rose Festival Parade float 22 driving down W Burnside in front of a crowd outside W.L. Reid Company Building Hardware Specialties. The float has a circus theme with three seals made of black flowers balancing balls of red and yellow flowers on their noses. The float has three riders on top, two women …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-135/

img Community Picnic (ddr-one-1-381)

Black and white photographic negative of a bucket with two watermelons and a crate of empty soda bottles at a community picnic at Viking Park hosted by the Oregon Buddhist Church (now known as the Oregon Buddhist Temple). Sitting with their backs to camera are Nobyo Sato and Kathleen "Kathie" Haruko (Matsuda) Sato, sitting facing the …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-381/

img Reed College (ddr-one-1-353)

Black and white photographic negative of Ayame Ogimi leaning against a railing posing for the camera. This photographic negative was taken at Reed College where Ayame was a student.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-353/

img Obon Festival- Odori folk dance (ddr-one-1-208)

Black and white photographic negative of Obon dancers in front of crowd. Obon dancers inner circle from front to back: Tomi Tsujimura, Shizuko "Shiz" (Ninomiya) Onishi, and Mr. Tsujimura. Obon is an annual event hosted by the Oregon Buddhist Church (now known as Oregon Buddhist Temple) and attended by the wider Nikkei community. This image was …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-208/

img Indoor Carnival Fundraiser- Balloon Darts (ddr-one-1-90)

Black and white photographic negative of an indoor carnival fundraiser possibly hosted by the Sorelles or Adelphons (Japanese American young women's groups). Group of men watch an unidentified Issei throw a dart. Identified on the far left hand side is Walt Asakawa, sitting behind the dart thrower is Mr. Murahashi, standing on the far right wearing …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-90/

img New Tokyo Bar (ddr-one-1-81)

Black and white photographic negative of two women behind the bar with the bartender at the New Tokyo Bar in Portland, Oregon. From left to right: unidentified, Rose Mae Hara and George Ninomiya.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-81/

img Rose Test Garden (ddr-one-1-524)

Color slide of the Rose Test Garden in Washington Park. Rows of various types of rose bushes can be seen across the image. Five other visitors can be seen looking at the various rose bushes. According to donor processed on June 14, 1964.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-524/

img Kenji Onishi sermon (ddr-one-1-94)

Black and white photographic negative of Kenji Onishi standing behind a pulpit reading from a bible at Epworth Methodist Church. Kenji Onishi was a youth leader at Epworth.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-94/

img Portland Rose Festival Parade- float 11 "Hiawatha" (ddr-one-1-498)

Color slide of Rose Festival Parade float 11 driving down SW Third Ave in front of a large crowd gathered outside a Signal gas station and San Francisco Tailor, behind the Signal gas station is the old Multnomah Hotel. The float of pink, white and blue flowers making a river and canoe. Inside the canoe are …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-498/

img Hanamatsuri (birth of Buddha celebration) Odori Performance (ddr-one-1-405)

Black and white photographic negative of an Odori folk dance on stage for Hanamatsuri (birth of Buddha celebration) at Oregon Buddhist Church (now known as Oregon Buddhist Temple). Dancers front row from right to left: Mary (Nakata) Fujii and Shiz (Fujita) Inaba.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-405/

img Obon Festival- Odori folk dance (ddr-one-1-222)

Black and white photographic negative of Obon dancers performing in front of a large crowd. Obon dancers left line: Tomi Tsujimura and Yukiye Itoyama. Obon dancers right line: Atsuko "Alice" (Matsumoto) Ando and Atsuko "Alice" Kida. All others unidentified. Obon is an annual event hosted by the Oregon Buddhist Church (now known as Oregon Buddhist Temple) …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-222/

img Obon Festival- Odori folk dance (ddr-one-1-258)

Black and white photographic negative of Obon dancers in three partial circles performing in front of a large crowd seated in bleachers. Inner circle: Tom Shigeto Tamiyasu. Middle circle foreground to background: Joan “Janice” (Nakayama) Kimoto, Atsuko "Alice" Kida, and Atsuko "Alice" (Matsumoto) Ando. Outer circle: second from the front: Tomi Tsujimura. Obon is an annual …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-258/

img Obon Festival- Odori folk dance (ddr-one-1-290)

Black and white photographic negative of Obon dancers wearing straw hats performing an Odori folk dance in front of a large crowd at Obon. Obon Dancers: second to the right Grace (Tachibana) Ishikawa, and third to the right Kathleen "Kathie" Haruko (Matsuda) Sato. Obon is an annual event hosted by the Oregon Buddhist Church (now known …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-290/

img Obon Festival- Odori folk dance (ddr-one-1-272)

Black and white photographic negative of Obon dancers performing in front of crowd. Man on far right identified as Tom Shigeto Tamiyasu. Obon is an annual event hosted by the Oregon Buddhist Church (now known as Oregon Buddhist Temple) and attended by the wider Nikkei community.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-272/

img Nisei at Epworth United Methodist Church (ddr-one-1-340)

Black and white photographic negative of unidentified Nisei sitting on sofas at Epworth United Methodist Church. This photograph may have been taken during the Northwest Methodist Rally. Original print ONLC 3262 (ddr-one-1-438).

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-340/

img Obon Festival- Odori folk dance (ddr-one-1-194)

Black and white photographic negative of Obon dancers with both arms raised in front of a crowd. From left to right: Rose Haruye (Muramatsu) Ouchida, Tom Tsujimura, Phyllis Midori (Ando) Muramatsu, Shizuko "Shiz" (Ninomiya) Onishi, Toraichi Kobayashi, Hisako (Onishi) Saito, and Henry Matsunaga. Obon is an annual event hosted by the Oregon Buddhist Church (now known …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-194/