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 (277)
Leaving camp (372)
Returning home (1150)

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1150 items

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/

img Portland Rose Festival Parade Float- "Tight rope or bridge, Portland to Camas" (ddr-one-1-151)

Color slide of a Rose Festival Parade float driving down W Burnside in front of a crowd outside the Shoreline Hotel and Anchor Inn. Float depicts the crossing from Portland, Oregon to Camas, Washington with a tightrope walker standing on the Portland side holding a white parasol. Sign above float reads "Tight rope or bridge, Portland …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-151/

img Couple eating dessert (ddr-one-1-432)

Black and white photographic negative of Ruth (Komachi) Muramatsu and George Muramatsu enjoying a dessert at the end of a long table with chairs stacked up on the table.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-432/

img Wedding of Sam Sakamoto and Hanaye (Fujiwara) Sakamoto (ddr-one-1-36)

Original black and white photographic print of Sam Sakamoto and Hanaye (Fujiwara) Sakamoto's wedding reception. About 11 people sitting around banquet tables. Wedding party seated along back wall; from left to right: Yoichi "Jack" Nomi, Tamaye (Fujiwara) Nomi, Sam Sakamoto, Hanaye (Fujiwara) Sakamoto, Keso Kuwahara, Lilly (Kobayashi) Irinaga. Rest of the guests are unidentified. For negative …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-36/

img Obon Festival (ddr-one-1-256)

Black and white photographic negative of Nobuko (Ochiai) Susaki speaking with an unidentified white woman. Man seated in far back right identified as Elmer Nishimoto. 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-1-256/

img Buddhist Convention (ddr-one-1-336)

Black and white photographic negative of three unidentified women outside Collin's Field House in Seattle, Washington for a Buddhist convention. George Oba is coming up from behind the women. Woman on the far right is holding a program with the date Feb 29- Mar 2, 1952 written on the cover.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-336/

img Sorelles Group Photo (ddr-one-1-14)

Original black and white photographic print of the Sorelles, a high school social group. Back Row (left to right): Elsie Okazaki, Beti ann (Minamoto) Wantroba, Jean Matsumoto, Lillian (Niimi) Mikariya, Rose Haruye (Muramatsu) Ouchida, Kathleen “Kathie” Haruko (Matsuda) Sato, Frances (Kinoshita) Mayeda, Grace Mieko (Muramatsu) Ouchida, and Mitsy (Kiyomura) Takeoka. Third Row: Nami (Miura) Koida, Miriam …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-14/

img Sorelles Group Photo (ddr-one-1-22)

Black and white photographic negative 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, Atsuko "Alice" (Matsumoto) Ando, Jean Matsumoto, and …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-22/

img Dance (ddr-one-1-350)

Black and white photographic negative of unidentified couples dancing in front of large windows with blinds drawn.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-350/

img Obon Festival- Dancers (ddr-one-1-246)

Black and white photographic negative of six Obon dancers posing for the camera holding small Japanese and American flags. From left to right: Eddie Tamiyasu, Atsuko "Alice" Kida, Jean (Tsujimura) Takashima, Jean Yasuko (Kida) Tomita, Shizuko "Shiz" (Ochiai) Ota Okazaki, Atsuko "Alice" (Matsumoto) Ando. Obon is an annual event hosted by the Oregon Buddhist Church (now …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-246/

img Obon Festival- Odori folk dance (ddr-one-1-233)

Black and white photographic negative of Obon dancers performing in front of crowd. Dancer in center of image with butterflies on kimono is Phyllis Midori (Ando) Muramatsu. 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 …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-233/

img Portland Rose Festival Parade- float 14 "Legend of Snow White" (ddr-one-1-495)

Color slide of four connected Rose Festival Parade floats that depict the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The floats are 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 first …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-495/

img Portland Rose Festival Parade Float- "Timber Carnival" (ddr-one-1-136)

Color slide of a Rose Festival Parade Float driving down W Burnside in front of a crowd outside W.L. Reid Company Building Hardware Specialties. The float depicts a carousel with children riding and waving to the crowd. A man in a blue suit jacket and gray pants escorts the float. The side of the float reads …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-136/

img Obon Festival- Dancers (ddr-one-1-315)

Black and white photographic negative of two Obon dancers posing with "uchiwa" (fan). From left to right: Tomi Tsujimura and Yachiyo Morita. 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-1-315/

img Obon Festival- Odori folk dance (ddr-one-1-185)

Black and white photographic negative of Obon dancers in two lines approaching the camera with arms in motion. From left to right front row: Betty Nakashimada, Aki (Shiraishi) Dong, Ted Tetsuo Tamaki, Shiz (Fujita) Inaba. Back row fourth from left is Arthur Ojiro “Art” Sasaki. Obon is an annual event hosted by the Oregon Buddhist Church …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-185/

img Portland Rose Festival Parade- float 20 "Fountain of youth" (ddr-one-1-489)

Color slide of Rose Festival Parade float 20 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 depicts the story of the fountain of youth, with three young ladies dressed in gowns …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-489/

img Portland Rose Festival Parade- float 17 "Arabian Nights" (ddr-one-1-492)

Color slide of Rose Festival Parade float 17 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 theme is written on the side as "Arabian Nights." Five women dressed in large colorful …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-492/

img Registration Table at Epworth United Methodist Church (ddr-one-1-339)

Black and white photographic negative of a registration table inside Epworth United Methodist Church, possibly for the Northwest Methodist Rally. From left to right: Lillian (Niimi) Mikariya, Atsuko "Alice" Kida, and Loretta (Fujii) Kaneko, remaining unidentified.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-339/

img Portland Rose Festival Parade- float 14 "Shell" (ddr-one-1-169)

Color slide of Rose Festival float 14 driving down W Burnside in front of a crowd outside W.L. Reid Company Building Hardware Specialties and the Riverfront Hotel and Cafe. An advertisement for Chevrolet is visible in the background on the side of the Portland Commons Annex. The float depicts a tiger jumping through a hoop. A …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-169/

img Third Annual Oregon Nisei Bowling League Tournament Dance (ddr-one-1-119)

Black and white photographic negative of unidentified couples dancing at the Third Annual Nisei Bowling League Tournament Dance at McElroy's Ballroom in Portland, Oregon. Jimmy Amato and his Orchestra are playing in the background.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-119/

img Portland Rose Festival Parade- float 21 (ddr-one-1-175)

Color slide of Rose Festival Parade float 21 driving down W Burnside in front of a crowd outside the W.L. Reid Company Building Hardware Specialties and the Riverfront Hotel and Cafe. The float is a truck made of red and white flowers with animal cages, a small yellow sign is visible on the front with number …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-175/

img Portland Rose Festival Parade- float 31 "Newberg" (ddr-one-1-531)

Color slide of Rose Festival Parade float 31 driving down W Burnside in front of a crowd outside a Blue Eagle Café on NW Second Ave. A sign for the Chinese Medicine Co can be seen in background. The float is a carriage covered in white and purple flowers with two women sitting inside waving at …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-531/

img Reed College (ddr-one-1-358)

Black and white photographic print of Ayame Ogimi and her brother Carlos Ogimi staring at a large document or drawing on a table in front of them. This photograph was taken at Reed College where Ayame and Carlos were both students. Negative ONLC 3178 (ddr-one-1-370).

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-358/