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 Obon Festival- Odori folk dance (ddr-one-1-214)

Black and white photographic negative of Obon dancers in two lines dancing before a crowd. Obon dancers from right to left, left line: unidentified, Helen Hachiya, Sumi Hachiya, and Arthur Ojiro “Art” Sasaki. Obon dancers from right to left, right line: Betty Nakashimada, and Aki (Shiraishi) Dong, remaining dancers unidentified. Obon is an annual event hosted …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-214/

img Community Picnic (ddr-one-1-388)

Black and white photographic negative of three Nisei men playing cards laying down on a blanket during a community picnic at Viking Park hosted by the Oregon Buddhist Church (now known as the Oregon Buddhist Temple). From left to right: Shig Oka, unidentified, and Tom Takeoka.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-388/

img Obon Festival- Odori folk dance (ddr-one-1-209)

Black and white photographic negative of Obon dancers in front of a large crowd. Obon dancers from left to right: unidentified, Hisako (Onishi) Saito, unidentified, Loretta (Fujii) Kaneko, Mr. Yoshihara, unidentified, Beti ann (Minamoto) Wantroba, Nami (Miura) Koida, Mabel (Maekawa) Ota. Obon is an annual event hosted by the Oregon Buddhist Church (now known as Oregon …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-209/

img Community Picnic (ddr-one-1-369)

Black and white photographic negative of Nisei sitting at a picnic table enjoying the community picnic at Viking Park hosted by the Oregon Buddhist Church (now known as the Oregon Buddhist Temple). From left to right: Mieko Fujita, Sam "Pompadour Sam" Sasaki, and Fude (Fujita) Kagawa.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-369/

img Obon Festival Dance Rehearsal (ddr-one-1-304)

Black and white photographic negative of Obon dancers practicing an Odori folk dance inside Norse Hall in Northeast Portland. First Obon dancer from the left is identified as Yukiye Itoyama. 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-1-304/

img Portrait of Mary Abe's family (ddr-one-1-78)

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-1-78/

img Reed College (ddr-one-1-367)

Black and white photographic negative of Ayame Ogimi playing ukulele for two unidentified friends in her dorm room at Reed College. Original print ONLC 3183 (ddr-one-1-365)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-367/

img Obon Festival- Odori folk dance (ddr-one-1-221)

Black and white photographic negative of Obon dancers turning a corner in front of large crowd. Woman in front of line: Shizuko Oda, man at back of line: Arthur Ojiro “Art” Sasaki. 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-1-221/

img Hanamatsuri (birth of Buddha celebration) Odori Performance (ddr-one-1-410)

Black and white photographic negative of an Odori folk dance performance on stage for Hanamatsuri (birth of Buddha celebration) inside the Oregon Buddhist Church (now known as the Oregon Buddhist Temple). Dancer on far right is identified as Mrs. Hasagawa, dancer in back center is identified as Atsuko "Alice" (Matsumoto) Ando.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-410/

img Third Annual Oregon Nisei Bowling League Tournament Dance- Trophies (ddr-one-1-114)

Black and white photographic negative of Bruce Fukuda holding two trophies at the Third Annual Oregon Nisei Bowling League Tournament Dance at McElroy's Ballroom in Portland, Oregon.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-114/

img Obon Festival Dance Rehearsal (ddr-one-1-318)

Black and white photographic negative of Obon dancers rehearsing an Odori folk dance inside Norse Hall in Northeast Portland. Obon dancers from left to right: Shig Yuzuriha, Hiro Okayama, Yonezo Fujii, and Tom Shigeo Tamiyasu. First seated women in the audience on far left is Sakae (Fujii) Ando. Obon is an annual event hosted by the …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-318/

img Valentine's Day potluck at Oregon Buddhist Church (ddr-one-1-60)

Color slide of young women filling plates at a Valentine's Day potluck at Oregon Buddhist Church (now known as the Oregon Buddhist Temple). From left to right: Kathleen "Kathie" Haruko (Matsuda) Sato, unidentified, Rose Haruye (Muramatsu) Ouchida, Jean Matsumoto, and Michiko (Masuoka) Nishioka.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-60/

img Obon Festival- Odori folk dance (ddr-one-1-231)

Black and white photographic negative of Obon dancers performing in front of a crowd. Obon dancers from left to right: Joe Shiraishi, unidentified woman, Harue Akiyama, and Wako Henjyoji. 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-1-231/

img Obon Festival- Dancers (ddr-one-1-204)

Black and white photographic negative of three young Obon dancers posing for camera in front of large crowd. Obon dancers from left to right: Jeanne Tanaka, Toshiko (Maekawa) Okino, and Eileen Tanaka. Crowd: first sitting from the left is Joyce (Tanaka) Fedler, first from the right sitting on bench is Joe Ikata. Obon is an annual …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-204/

img Obon Festival- Dancers (ddr-one-1-199)

Black and white photographic negative of Obon dancers posing for camera in front of small crowd with their backs bent slightly and arms extended. Fourth from the left is Yukiye Itoyama, fifth from the left is Eki Yumibe. Obon is an annual event hosted by the Oregon Buddhist Church (now known as Oregon Buddhist Temple) and …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-199/

img Wedding of Sam Sakamoto and Hanaye (Fujiwara) Sakamoto (ddr-one-1-38)

Original black and white photographic print of wedding attendants posed. Left to right Tamaye (Fujiwara) Nomi and Yoichi "Jack" Nomi.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-38/

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 Wedding of Sam Sakamoto and Hanaye (Fujiwara) Sakamoto (ddr-one-1-45)

Black and white photographic negative of wedding attendants posed. Left to right: Tamaye (Fujiwara) Nomi and Yoichi "Jack" Nomi.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-45/