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)

Filters

Facilities

Format

Genre

Usage

Use <Ctrl> or (⌘) keys to select multiple terms

Gallery view
List view

1150 items

img Portland Rose Festival Parade- float 11 "The Calliope" (ddr-one-1-137)

Color slide of Rose Festival Parade float 11 driving down W Burnside in front of a crowd outside W.L. Reid Company Building Hardware Specialties. Float depicts a calliope with a player dressed as a clown on top. Three female riders sit up front in short poofy dresses, one holds a blue ribbon while the other two …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-137/

img Portland Rose Festival Parade- float 23 "Fountain of Youth" (ddr-one-1-517)

Color slide of Rose Festival Parade float 23 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 a Spanish conquistadors discovering the fountain of youth under a pink willow tree. The …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-517/

img Portland Rose Festival Parade- float 26 "Beaverton" (ddr-one-1-535)

Color slide of Rose Festival Parade float 26 driving down W Burnside past a crowd outside Dr. Geo Chan's office and the Chinese Medicine Company during the Rose Festival Parade. The float is made of red flowers and has a carriage on top made of red and white flowers and is pulled by a horse made …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-535/

img Obon Festival- Dancer (ddr-one-1-235)

Black and white photographic negative of Beti ann (Minamoto) Wantroba posing for the camera with one arm raised above her head. 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-1-235/

img Obon Festival- Odori folk dance (ddr-one-1-189)

Black and white photographic negative of Obon dancers with arms extended in front. Dancers: first from left Shizuko "Shiz" (Ninomiya) Onishi, fourth from left Ed Honma, fifth from left Tom Shigeto Tamiyasu, first from right Ted Tetsuo Tamaki. Obon is an annual event hosted by the Oregon Buddhist Church (now known as Oregon Buddhist Temple) and …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-189/

img Portland Rose Festival Parade- Marching Band (ddr-one-1-170)

Color slide of a drum major and three majorettes in white uniforms leading a marching band in dark red uniforms along the Portland Rose Festival parade route in front of a crowd gathered outside W.L. Reid Company Building Hardware Specialties and the Riverfront Hotel on W Burnside. An advertisement for Chevrolet is visible on the side …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-170/

img Portland Rose Festival Parade Float- "The Phaeton" (ddr-one-1-548)

Color slide of a float driving down W Burnside in front of a crowd outside the Blue Eagle Café on the corner of NW Second Ave. The float is of a phaeton style carriage made of white flowers with a blue flowers on the trim and red flowers for the wheels. Two horses made of white …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-548/

img Obon Festival- Odori folk dance (ddr-one-1-285)

Black and white photographic negative of Obon dancers in flower hats performing an Odori folk dance at Obon. Woman in center of image is identified as Masano Hachiya Yamasaki. 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-1-285/

img Northwest Methodist Rally Portland (ddr-one-1-322)

Black and white photographic negative of the attendees of the Northwest Methodist Rally in Portland on November 23-25, 1951. Inscription on negative reads "Northwest methodis Rally Portla Nov. 23-25, 1951." The group is posed in front of the old Epworth Methodist Church building. Front row left to right starting third from left: Rupert Fujii, Shig Tada, …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-322/

img Reed College (ddr-one-1-361)

Black and white photographic print 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. Negative ONLC 3181 (ddr-one-1-363).

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-361/

img Obon Festival- Dancers (ddr-one-1-240)

Black and white photographic negative of six Obon dancers posing for the camera with arms held up wearing straw hats. From left to right: Shizuko "Shiz" (Ochiai) Ota Okazaki, Jean (Tsujimura) Takashima, Atsuko "Alice" Kida, Jean Yasuko (Kida) Tomita, Atsuko "Alice" (Matsumoto) Ando, and Eddie Tamiyasu. Obon is an annual event hosted by the Oregon Buddhist …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-240/

img Oregon Buddhist Church 50th Anniversary Celebration Chigo Procession (ddr-one-1-67)

Color slide of two children in traditional Japanese costumes with gold headdresses. Children are carrying pink flowers and are part of a Chigo "Children's" procession past the US Custom's House in Northwest Portland. The children are followed by an unidentified Buddhist priest. From left to right: Joanne (Furukawa) Longfeldt and Joyce (Matsunaga) McMahon.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-67/

img Portland Rose Festival Parade- Equestrian team (ddr-one-1-486)

Color slide of six men on palomino horses holding American flags as they ride down W Burnside in front of a crowd gathered outside the Shoreline and Grant Hotels in the Portland Rose Festival Parade. The Portland Rose Festival Parade is an annual event in which floats are made out of flowers and paraded down the …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-486/

img Obon Festival- Mayoral speech (ddr-one-1-206)

Black and white photographic negative of Portland Mayor Dorothy McCullough Lee giving a speech at the Portland Obon festival while dancers and spectators watch. Photographers are taking pictures near the podium. Man behind stairs leading up to the podium is Matsutaro Muramatsu. Woman on right edge of image behind a photographer is Mitsy (Kiyomura) Takeoka. A …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-206/

img Obon folk musicians (ddr-one-1-111)

Black and white photographic negative of four unidentified men playing traditional Japanese instruments at the Obon Festival in front a microphone. All are dressed in happi coats and have tenugui (light cotton towel) headbands. Sitting behind the sound system is Henry Matsunaga. Obon is an annual event hosted by the Oregon Buddhist Church (now known as …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-111/

img Community Picnic (ddr-one-1-383)

Black and white photographic negative of a group of Nisei men sitting on the ground chatting at a community picnic at Viking Park hosted by the Oregon Buddhist Church (now known as the Oregon Buddhist Temple). Facing the camera from left to right: Alfred Tsutomu Ando and Roy Otsuki. Jean Matsumoto is kneeling behind Alfred Tsutomu …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-383/

img Adelphons Group Photo (ddr-one-1-1)

Original black and white photographic print of the Adelphons, a young women's service group of the Portland Chapter of the Japanese American Citizen's League, in formal attire. Back Row (left to right): Sumiko “Sue” (Kawasaki) Fujino, unidentified, Minnie (Oyama) Abe, Ochiyo (Nishioka) Hasuike, unidentified, Mary (Furusho) Iwasaki, Tamae "Butch" Yamamoto, Kathryn (Kawata) Niita, Irene (Kawata) Nakagawa, …

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

img Northwest Buddhist Convention Banquet (ddr-one-1-419)

Black and white photographic negative of six women preparing the Northwest Buddhist Convention banquet dinner in the kitchen of the Seattle Buddhist Church. From left to right: Kiyo (Ishikawa) Harada, May Matsumoto, Noriko (Ichikawa) Kurashige, Betty Kurimoto Yamasaki, and Irene (Yamauchi) Tatsuta.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-419/

img Portland Rose Festival Parade- float 14 "To the Ball Game" (ddr-one-1-546)

Color slide of Rose Festival Parade float 14 driving down W Burnside in front of a crowd outside the Blue Eagle Café on the corner of NW Second Ave. The float is of a streetcar decorated in white, yellow and purple flowers. A conductor drives the streetcar while passengers sit inside the streetcar. The front of …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-546/

img Portland Rose Festival Parade- float 43 "The Ugly Duckling" (ddr-one-1-509)

Color slide of Rose Festival Parade float 43 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 blue flowers and has a small black cygnet in front of a …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-509/

img Wedding of Sam Sakamoto and Hanaye (Fujiwara) Sakamoto (ddr-one-1-32)

Original black and white photographic print of Bride and Groom, Hanaye (Fujiwara) Sakamoto and Sam Sakamoto, in front of the alter standing at an angle to the camera.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-32/

img Reed College (ddr-one-1-355)

Black and white photographic negative of siblings Carlos Ogimi and Ayame Ogimi at Reed College, where they both attended school.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-355/

img Obon Festival- Dancer (ddr-one-1-232)

Black and white photographic negative of Harue Akiyama, the Obon dance instructor, posing for camera wearing straw hat. 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-1-232/

img Sorelles Group Photo (ddr-one-1-11)

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-1-11/

img Portland Rose Festival Parade- Float 27 "Motor Show 1907" (ddr-one-1-467)

Color slide of Rose Festival Parade float 27 driving down W Burnside in front of a crowd gathered outside the Noon Bag Company and White Stag Manufacturing. The side of the float reads "Portland Auto Dealers." Written on the front is "Motor Show 1907." A small yellow sign is placed on the front of the float …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-467/