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 (434)
Returning home (1151)

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1151 items

img Portland Rose Festival Parade- float 38 "Alice in Wonderland" (ddr-one-1-463)

Color slide of Rose Festival Parade float 38 driving down W Burnside in front of a crowd outside the Shoreline Hotel. The float contains a depiction of Alice from "Alice in Wonderland" wearing blue dress with a white apron made from flowers. Sitting on the float in front of Alice next to a yellow sign with …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-463/

img Sorelles Beach Outing (ddr-one-1-392)

Black and white photographic negative of crowd of Nisei at a beach outing planned by the Sorrelles (a high school social group).

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-392/

img Obon Festival- Odori folk dance (ddr-one-1-207)

Black and white photographic negative of Obon dancers in a partial circle in front of a crowd that encloses the dancers. Obon dancers: left corner of image in front of dancer wearing a headscarf is Phyllis Midori (Ando) Muramatsu, behind woman in headscarf is Mabel (Maekawa) Ota followed by Kathleen "Kathie" Haruko (Matsuda) Sato, ninth from …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-207/

img Obon Festival- Odori folk dance (ddr-one-1-191)

Black and white photographic negative of Obon dancers waving small Japanese flags. Left line from left to right: Hisano Sakamoto, Kaoru Funatake and unidentified women. Right line from left to right: Grace Mieko (Muramatsu) Ouchida, Shizuko "Shiz" (Ochiai) Ota Okazaki, Betty Nakashimada, Shiz (Fujita) Inaba and an unidentified woman. Obon is an annual event hosted by …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-191/

img Hanamatsuri (birth of Buddha celebration) Odori Performance (ddr-one-1-406)

Black and white photographic negative of two unidentified dancers with fans performing an Odori folk dance on stage for Hanamatsuri (birth of Buddha celebration) inside the Oregon Buddhist Church (now known as Oregon Buddhist Temple). Two woman sit on stage in western style clothes, one playing a shamisen. A man is visible looking around the curtain …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-406/

img Congregation (ddr-one-1-328)

Black and white photographic negative of a Christian congregation sitting in pews looking forward. Man setting on the far left is Tsugo Ikeda. No one identified in first pew. Second pew from left to right: Betty Ishida, and Jayne (Katada) Furukawa, others unidentified. Note on identification sheets says saddle shoes worn in image were made by …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-328/

img Wedding Reception (ddr-one-1-133)

Black and white photographic negative of a unknown wedding reception with a group of wedding guests standing next to the gift table. Standing in the back behind the gifts is Mitsy (Kiyomura) Takeoka.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-133/

img Obon Festival Dance Rehearsal (ddr-one-1-317)

Black and white photographic negative of Obon dancers rehearsing an Odori folk dance inside Norse Hall in Northeast Portland. Dancers from left to right: Patricia “Pat” (Ikata) Iboshi, Marjory "Marge" (Ando) Smith, unidentified, unidentified, unidentified, Toshiko (Maekawa) Okino, Susan Shizuko (Yoshida) Kurimoto, and Nobuko Yoshida. Obon is an annual event hosted by the Oregon Buddhist Church …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-317/

img Community Picnic (ddr-one-1-382)

Black and white photographic negative of two picnic tables with people sitting with plates of food in front of them. The community picnic is at Viking Park and is hosted by the Oregon Buddhist Church (now known as the Oregon Buddhist Temple). Sitting at picnic table in foreground left to right: Atsuko "Alice" (Matsumoto) Ando, and …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-382/

img Portland Rose Festival Parade- float 33 "General Petroleum" (ddr-one-1-514)

Color slide of Rose Festival Parade float 33 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 is made of white and blue flowers, with a large red Pegasus flying over top. …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-514/

img Third Annual Oregon Nisei Bowling League Tournament Dance- Admission Table (ddr-one-1-113)

Black and white photographic negative of three women sitting at the Third Annual Oregon Nisei Bowling League Tournament Dance Admission table at McElroy's Ballroom in Portland, Oregon. From left to right: Frances (Kinoshita) Mayeda, Aki (Shiraishi) Dong, Sumi "Sue" (Kaga) Hasegawa.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-113/

img Obon Festival- Odori folk dance (ddr-one-1-184)

Black and white photographic negative of the crowd and Obon dancers taken from behind the crowd. Obon dancers wave small Japanese and American flags. 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 taken at Holladay Park in …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-184/

img Portland Rose Festival Parade- Float 28 "Truck 3" (ddr-one-1-160)

Color slide of Rose Festival Parade float 28 driving down W Burnside in front of a crowd outside the Blue Eagle Cafe on the corner of W Burnside and NW Second Ave. The float is of a large fireman's helmet with "Truck 3 PDF" written in flowers on the front. The Rose Festival Parade is an …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-160/

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 Portland Rose Festival Parade- Crowd (ddr-one-1-448)

Color slide of crowd and light post outside the Shoreline Hotel and Anchor Inn on W Burnside. Presumably the crowd has gathered to watch the Portland Rose Festival Parade. The Rose Festival Parade is an annual event in which floats are made out of flowers and paraded down the streets of Portland. According to donor processed …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-448/

img Obon Festival- Odori folk dance (ddr-one-1-192)

Black and white photographic negative of Obon dancers with arms raised in front of a crowd. Right row second from the left: Mr. Yoshihara, right row third from left: Beti ann (Minamoto) Wantroba. Obon is an annual event hosted by the Oregon Buddhist Church (now known as Oregon Buddhist Temple) and attended by the wider Nikkei …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-192/

img Portland Rose Festival Parade Float (ddr-one-1-469)

Color slide of a Rose Festival Parade float driving down W Burnside in front of a crowd gathered outside the Noon Bag Company building. A woman stands behind a white cake made of flowers on the float and waves a red ribbon. The Portland Rose Festival Parade is an annual event in which floats are made …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-469/

img Obon Festival- Dancers (ddr-one-1-247)

Black and white photographic negative of three Japanese American women posing in costumes used to dance during Obon. They are holding tenugui (towels used in traditional Japanese folk dance). From left to right: Jean Yasuko (Kida) Tomita, Atsuko "Alice" (Matsumoto) Ando, Atsuko "Alice" Kida. Obon is an annual event hosted by the Oregon Buddhist Church (now …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-247/

img Buddhist Convention (ddr-one-1-332)

Black and white photographic negative of large crowd of Buddhists gathered outside Collin's Field House in Seattle, Washington for a Buddhist convention. Seated in front row from left to right: Yasashi Ichikawa, Reverend Seiji Kobara from Seattle, Reverend Shoko Masunaga, Reverend Akira Jotetsu Ono, Reverend Tatsuya Ichikawa, Reverend Bishop Kenryu Tsuji, Reverend Eiyu Terao from Spokane, …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-332/

img Portland Rose Festival Parade- float 19 "Junior Court" (ddr-one-1-490)

Color slide of Rose Festival Parade float 19 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 has six visible young couples dressed in white suits and pink dresses. They are standing …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-490/

img Portland Rose Festival Parade- Cowgirl (ddr-one-1-481)

Color slide of a cowgirl on palomino horse. The cowgirl is dressed in a pink riding suit and waving her hat at the camera. Float with a church choir is visible in the background in front of the W.L. Reid Company. The Portland Rose Festival Parade is an annual event in which floats are made out …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-481/

img Reed College (ddr-one-1-365)

Black and white photographic print of Ayame Ogimi playing ukulele for two unidentified friends in her dorm room at Reed College. Negative ONLC 3185 (ddr-one-1-367).

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-365/