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 Sorelles Group Photo (ddr-one-1-10)

Original black and white photographic print of the Sorelles, a high school social group. Back Row (left to right): Elsie Okazaki, Anges (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-1-10/

img Obon Festival- Dancers (ddr-one-1-436)

Black and white photographic print 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 Okasaki, Atsuko "Alice" (Matsumoto) Ando. Obon is an annual event hosted by the Oregon Buddhist Church (now …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-436/

img Oregon Buddhist Church Talent Show (ddr-one-1-338)

Five unidentified girls have their faces painted black and are dressed up in large white gloves and patched jeans. Appear to be performing a tap dance at the annual talent show hosted by the Oregon Buddhist Church (now known as the Oregon Buddhist Temple).

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-338/

img Portland Rose Festival Parade- cowboy (ddr-one-1-505)

Color slide of a Roy Rogers in a white suit and hat riding a palomino horse in the Rose Festival Parade on SW Third Ave, he is passing a Signal gas station and San Francisco Tailor, behind the Signal gas station is the old Multnomah Hotel. In the foreground is Dale Evans riding a horse in …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-505/

img Portland Rose Festival Parade- float 20 "Circus Special" (ddr-one-1-155)

Color slide of Rose Festival Parade float 20 being pulled by two brown horses down W Burnside in front of the W.L. Reid Company Building Hardware Specialties and the Riverside Hotel and Cafe. The float is a large streetcar decorated with flowers, with a sign above reading "Circus Special." The side of the float reads "Milwaukie," …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-155/

img Third Annual Oregon Nisei Bowling League Tournament Dance (ddr-one-1-118)

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. To the far right in front of the stage in black heels and light color skirt and jacket is Kathleen Sasaki dancing with an unidentified man.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-118/

img Obon Festival- Odori folk dance (ddr-one-1-205)

Black and white photographic negative of Obon dancers with arms raised to their left shoulder. In the upper center is a large podium with lanterns. Crowd sits on grass or park benches. 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-1-205/

img Northwest Methodist Rally Portland (ddr-one-1-323)

Black and white photographic negative of a street lined with cars. Inscription reads "Northwest Methodist Rally Portland/Northwest Methodist Rally - Portland/Northwest Methodist Rally Portland/Northwest Methodist Rally - Portland/Nov. 23-25, 1951/Northwest Rally Portland."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-323/

img Electrical tower (ddr-one-1-443)

Color slide of what appears to be the inside of an electrical tower looking up towards a clear sky. According to donor processed on June 20, 1951.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-443/

img Obon Festival- Children dancers (ddr-one-1-253)

Black and white photographic negative of five unidentified children dancing 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-1-253/

img Portland Rose Festival Parade- Women's Drill Team (ddr-one-1-156)

Color slide of an unknown women's drill team in white uniforms marching in the Portland Rose Festival Parade down W Burnside in front of a crowd outside the Shoreline Hotel and Cafe. Sign for the Blue Eagle Cafe and Dr. Geo Chan is visible in the background. The Rose Festival Parade is an annual event in …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-156/

img Portland Rose Festival Parade- Women's Marching Band (ddr-one-1-172)

Color slide of a baton twirler in a white and orange uniform in front of an all women's marching band in red and white uniforms marching in the Portland Rose Festival Parade in W Burnside in front of a crowd outside the Shoreline Hotel and Cafe. The sign for the Blue Eagle Cafe is visible in …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-172/

img Portland Rose Festival Parade float- "Shell Oil Co" (ddr-one-1-536)

Color slide of the Shell Oil Co float driving down W Burnside in front of a crowd gathered outside the Blue Eagle Café on the corner of NW Second Ave for the Portland Rose Festival Parade. The float has a large Jack-in-a-box made of red and white flowers at the back that is open with a …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-536/

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 Obon Festival Dance Rehearsal (ddr-one-1-300)

Black and white photographic negative of Obon dancers practicing an Odori folk dance inside Norse Hall in Northeast Portland. From left to right male Obon dancers: Hiro Okayama, Mr. Tsujimura, Kenneth Yasutome, Yonezo Fujii, and unidentified. Obon is an annual event hosted by the Oregon Buddhist Church (now known as Oregon Buddhist Temple) and attended by …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-300/

img Reed College (ddr-one-1-351)

Black and white photographic negative of Ayame Ogimi's dorm room at Reed College in Portland, Oregon. Ayame Ogimi is seated on the floor smiling towards the camera, friends seated in semi-circle are unidentified.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-351/

img Odori costumes (ddr-one-1-62)

Color slide of three women sitting dressed in Odori (traditional Japanese folk dance) costumes of kimonos or yukatas with straw hats on. From left to right: unidentified, Midori Hasegawa, and Lily Ono.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-62/

img Portland Rose Festival Parade- float "Retail Trade Bureau" (ddr-one-1-474)

Color slide of a Rose Festival Parade float driving down W Burnside in front of a crowd gathered outside the Noon Bag Company building. The side of the float reads "Retail Trade Bureau." Four riders sit inside a carriage made of red and yellow flowers pulled by two horses made of black flowers over snow made …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-474/

img Portland Rose Festival Parade- float 9 "Dist 1" (ddr-one-1-477)

Color slide of Rose Festival Parade float 9 driving down W Burnside in front of a crowd gathered outside the Grant Hotel and Blue Eagle Cafe. The float is of a pink and red school house with "Dist 1" written above the door in red. A yellow sign sits on the front with the number 9. …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-477/

img Portland Rose Festival Parade- Float 4 "Portland Centennial" (ddr-one-1-444)

Color slide of Rose Festival Parade float 4 driving down W Burnside in front of a crowd outside Dr. Geo Chan's office and the Chinese Medicine Company. In the background a sign for a drug store can be seen. The float is of a large birthday cake with the words "Portland Centennial" on the side, on …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-444/

img Obon Festival- Dancer (ddr-one-1-259)

Black and white photographic negative of an unidentified woman performing in front of a crowd 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-1-259/

img Buddhist Convention (ddr-one-1-335)

Black and white photographic negative of a large crowd of Buddhists gathered outside Collin's Field House in Seattle, Washington. Reverend Tatsuya Ichikawa sitting in right hand corner. First row far left: Kiku Fujita, fourth from left: Yasuko (Hashimoto) Morita. Second row: fifth from left is Irene (Fujii) Mano, sixth from left: Elaine Miyake. Fourth row directly …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-335/

img Sorelles Group Photo (ddr-one-1-15)

Black and white photographic negative 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 (Koyama) …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-15/

img Obon Festival- Dancers (ddr-one-1-245)

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-1-245/