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 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 Portland Rose Festival Parade- Cowboy (ddr-one-1-484)

Color slide of a cowboy riding a brown horse down W Burnside in the Rose Parade. An advertisement for San Juan Slacks is visible on the side of the Noon Bag Company building. The cowboy waves his hat at the camera. The Portland Rose Festival Parade is an annual event in which floats are made out …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-484/

img Reed College (ddr-one-1-363)

Black and white photographic negative of Carlos Ogimi and other students sitting at drawing table working on an unknown project. Carlos is the first seated student on the right, everyone else is unidentified. This photographic negative was taken at Reed College where Carlos was a student. Original print ONLC 3179 (ddr-one-1-361).

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-363/

img Reed College (ddr-one-1-352)

Black and white photographic negative of Ayame Ogimi leaning back in a chair reading a book with her feet resting on a desk. The picture was taken at Reed College, most likely in the common area of her dorm, where Ayame attended school.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-352/

img Valentine's Day potluck at Oregon Buddhist Church (ddr-one-1-57)

Color slide of unidentified Japanese American women in buffet line at Valentine's Day potluck at the Oregon Buddhist Church (now known as the Oregon Buddhist Temple).

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-57/

img Obon Festival- Odori folk dance (ddr-one-1-186)

Black and white photographic negative of Obon dancers in line with arms swinging. Second dancer from the left is Jeanne Tanaka. 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 Portland, Oregon.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-186/

img New Tokyo Bar (ddr-one-1-82)

Black and white photographic negative of unidentified men playing Gibson guitars at the New Tokyo Bar. For print please see ONLC 4949 (ddr-one-1-720)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-82/

img Hanamatsuri (birth of Buddha celebration) Odori Performance (ddr-one-1-411)

Black and white photographic negative of Patricia “Pat” (Ikata) Iboshi dancing on stage in a western style dress for Hanamatsuri (birth of Buddha celebration) at Oregon Buddhist Church (now known as Oregon Buddhist Temple).

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-411/

img Community Picnic (ddr-one-1-390)

Black and white photographic negative of three women, two standing one sitting, in front of a picnic table smiling for the camera at a community picnic at Viking Park hosted by the Oregon Buddhist Church (now known as the Oregon Buddhist Temple). From left to right: Mary (Nakata) Fujii, Mrs. Nakata, and Yukiye Itoyama.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-390/

img Indoor Carnival Fundraiser- Bingo (ddr-one-1-86)

Black and white photographic negative of an indoor carnival fundraiser possibly hosted by the Sorelles or Adelphons (Japanese American young women's groups). Prizes laid out in foreground surrounded by bingo players. Background has other games with players out front including: Penny Pitch, Balloon Darts, and Nickel Toss. Bingo players from left to right: Mieko Fujita, Shiz …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-86/

img Obon Festival- Odori folk dance (ddr-one-1-228)

Black and white photographic negative of five Obon dancers performing in front of a crowd that is partially enclosing them. Dancers from left to right: Joe Shiraishi, Harue Akiyama, Jean Yasuko (Kida) Tomita, and Thomas "Tom" Honma. Obon is an annual event hosted by the Oregon Buddhist Church (now known as Oregon Buddhist Temple) and attended …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-228/

img Third Annual Oregon Nisei Bowling League Tournament Dance- Couple seated (ddr-one-1-123)

Black and white photographic negative of couple sitting around a table at the Third Annual Nisei Bowling League Tournament Dance at McElroy's Ballroom in Portland, Oregon. The couple is posing for the camera, a second woman is sitting on the far right. From left to right: Lolita (Leo) Sakamoto Tsujimura, Bob Luck and Doris Chan. Original …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-123/

img Nisei at Epworth United Methodist Church (ddr-one-1-438)

Black and white photographic print of unidentified Nisei at Epworth United Methodist Church. This photograph may have been taken during the Northwest Methodist Rally. Negative ONLC 3158 (ddr-one-1-340).

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-438/

img Sorelles Group Photo (ddr-one-1-23)

Original black and white photographic print of the Sorelles, a high school social group. Back Row (left to right): Elsie Okazaki, Agnes (Inouye) Kitayama, Atsuko "Alice" Kida, Atsuko "Alice" (Matsumoto) Ando, Nami (Miura) Koida, Kimi Wakabayashi, Grace Mieko (Muramatsu) Ouchida, Masae "Elsie" (Morita) Onishi, and Betty Nakashimada. Middle Row (left to right): Rose Haruye (Muramatsu) Ouchida, …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-23/

img Obon Festival- Odori folk dance (ddr-one-1-198)

Black and white photographic negative of Obon dancers in front of a crowd with arms raised. Obon dancers: second from the left is Yori Tomita, third from the left is Tomi Tsujimura, fourth from the left is Noboru Takashima, fifth from the left is Shizuko "Shiz" (Ninomiya) Onishi, eighth from the left is Shizuko "Shiz" (Ochiai) …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-198/

img Sorelles Beach Outing (ddr-one-1-398)

Black and white photographic negative of Nisei at the Oregon Coast sitting in the sand at a beach outing planned by the Sorrelles (a high school social group). Front row from left to right: Masae "Elsie" (Morita) Onishi, Joe Namba, and Nobyo Sato. Back row from left to right: Jean Matsumoto, Grace (Sakano) Robbs, and Atsuko …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-398/

img Nisei women (ddr-one-1-426)

Black and white photographic negative of four unidentified Nisei women holding bags and notebooks and looking at the camera inside Seattle Buddhist Church.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-426/

img Portland Rose Festival Parade- float 13 "Bozo's Circus" (ddr-one-1-141)

Color slide of Rose Festival Parade float 13 driving down W Burnside in front of a crowd gathered outside W.L. Reid Company Building Hardware Specialties and the Riverside Hotel and Cafe. The float has three tiers with a large clown made of flowers on the top tier and two female riders sitting on middle tier, one …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-141/

img Portrait of Mary Abe's family (ddr-one-1-77)

Black and white photographic negative of Mary Abe's family posed seated in her living room. Photo portrait of an unknown man on the side table. Back row left to right: Marge Horigami, Florence "Flo" (Teshima) Anazawa, remaining unidentified . Front row left to right: May (Abe) Endo unidentified woman.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-77/

img Obon Festival Dance Rehearsal (ddr-one-1-296)

Black and white photographic negative of Obon dance rehearsal at Norse Hall in Northeast Portland. Obon dancers from left to right: Patricia “Pat” (Ikata) Iboshi, Marjory "Marge" (Ando) Smith, Carol (Takeda) Smith, and unidentified. Obon is an annual event hosted by the Oregon Buddhist Church (now known as Oregon Buddhist Temple) and attended by the wider …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-296/