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 (434)
Returning home (1151)

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1151 items

img Obon Festival Dance Rehearsal (ddr-one-1-308)

Black and white photographic negative of Obon dancers rehearsing an Odori folk dance in front of a small audience inside Norse Hall. Obon dancers from left to right: Mr. Tsujimura, Dennis Kasubuchi, Masa Maekawa, Kojiro Yoshida, unidentified, and Ben Kasubuchi Jr. First row of audience: Josephine Kato, Minoru "Bob" Ando, Roberta Ando, and Sakae (Fujii) Ando. …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-308/

img Ladies Bowling Team- Oregon Nisei Bowling League Photo #4 (ddr-one-1-564)

Black and white photographic negative of a Nisei women's bowling team. The team is posed on a staircase with monogrammed shirts. From left to right: Yoko (Hishikawa) Iwata, Takako Inukai, Toshi (Tamiyasu) Fukuhara, Kathleen Sasaki, and Sachi (Nakata) Nakashima. Original print ONLC 3430.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-564/

img Obon Festival- Dancers (ddr-one-1-282)

Black and white photographic negative of two unidentified women at Obon posing for the camera. 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-1-282/

img Young Buddhist League Convention Queen (ddr-one-1-25)

Black and white photographic print of the Fourth Annual Northwest Young Buddhist League's Convection Queen: Mary (Nakata) Fujii of Portland, Oregon. She is dressed in a dark formal gown, wearing a jeweled tiara and velvet robe. The photograph was found in Frank Hirahara's memorabilia of his time in Portland.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-25/

img Obon Festival- Dancer (ddr-one-1-249)

Black and white photographic negative of Shizuko "Shiz" (Ochiai) Ota Okazaki smiling for the camera in front of crowd during 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-1-249/

img Obon Festival- Dancers (ddr-one-1-244)

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-1-244/

img Roses (ddr-one-1-522)

Color slide of red rose bush. Image was most likely taken at the Rose Test Garden in Washington Park. According to donor processed on June 14, 1964.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-522/

img Nisei women (ddr-one-1-345)

Black and white photographic negative of three women standing in front of a piano possibly singing, two women seated to the side listening. From left to right: Jayne (Katada) Furukawa, Betty Ishida, Beti ann (Minamoto) Wantroba, May (Ebihara) Gelfand, and Lillian (Niimi) Mikariya. This photograph may have been taken during the Northwest Methodist Rally.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-345/

img Hanamatsuri (birth of Buddha celebration) Odori Performance (ddr-one-1-403)

Black and white photographic negative of an Odori folk dance performance on the stage for Hanamatsuri (birth of Buddha celebration) at Oregon Buddhist Church (now known as the Oregon Buddhist Temple). From left to right: Mary (Nakata) Fujii, Shiz (Fujita) Inaba, Hanako Terakawa Tamura, unidentified, and Sakae Kobayashi.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-403/

img Portland Rose Festival Parade- float 22 "Pacific Telephone" (ddr-one-1-488)

Color slide of Rose Festival Parade float 22 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 red and black flowers, with two young girls dressed as a Native …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-488/

img Adelphons Group Photo (ddr-one-1-2)

Black and white photographic negative 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, Sophie …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-2/

img Obon Festival- Dancers (ddr-one-1-241)

Black and white photographic negative of six Obon dancers posing for the camera with one arm touching 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 Church …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-241/

img Oregon Buddhist Church Bingo (ddr-one-1-422)

Black and white photographic negative of a bingo game with prizes displayed in the center. Event is hosted by the Oregon Buddhist Church (now know as the Oregon Buddhist Temple). From left to right: Aki (Shiraishi) Dong, Mary (Nakata) Fujii, Mitsy (Kiyomura) Takeoka, Ben Kasubuchi, unidentified, unidentified, James “Jim” Mamoru Fujii, Susie "Jinx" (Tamiyasu) Fujii carrying …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-422/

img Portland Rose Festival Parade- float 4 Queen and Court (ddr-one-1-143)

Color slide of Rose Festival Parade float 4 with the Rose Festival Queen and Court on red and white float driving down W Burnside in front of a crowd gathered outside W.L. Reid Company Building Hardware Specialties and the Riverside Hotel. An advertisement for Chevrolet is visible in the background on the side of the Portland …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-143/

img Tractors (ddr-one-1-452)

Color slide of two parked John Deere tractors in a field, appears to be an old John Deere 1940s model M and a newer 1950s Model A with a fork loader attached to the front. According to donor processed on June 20, 1951. For black and white negative please see ONLC 4821, for black and white …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-452/

img Nisei at Epworth United Methodist Church (ddr-one-1-330)

Black and white photographic negative of four Nisei girls wearing white gloves, large, fake ears and a newspaper bib inside Epworth United Methodist Church, possibly during the Northwest Methodist Rally. Each girl is also holding a conductor baton. Third girl from the left is identified as Sophie (Tomita) Imai.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-330/

img Sorelles Group Photo (ddr-one-1-21)

Original black and white photographic print 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, …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-21/

img Portland Rose Festival Parade- float 23 "Sears, Roebuck and Co" (ddr-one-1-149)

Color slide of Rose Festival Parade float 23 driving down Burnside in front of a crowd outside W.L. Reid Company Building Hardware Specialties. The float is of two horses made of yellow and brown flowers pulling a chariot made of green and yellow flowers with a male rider dressed as a Roman chariot rider. Two women …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-149/

img Photographer (ddr-one-1-433)

Black and white photographic negative of an unidentified photographer standing on a pew with a large camera.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-433/

img Wedding of Sam Sakamoto and Hanaye (Fujiwara) Sakamoto (ddr-one-1-40)

Original black and white photographic print of bridal party standing in front of the alter. Left to right: Tamaye (Fujiwara) Nomi, Hanaye (Fujiwara) Sakamoto, and Lilly (Kobayashi) Irinaga.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-40/

img Children at Odori (ddr-one-1-64)

Color slide of two posing children in their Odori (traditional Japanese folk dance) costumes. Second from the left is Janice (Ikata) Marks.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-64/

img Portland Rose Festival Parade- Cowgirl (ddr-one-1-163)

Color slide of a woman in a white western/cowgirl costume riding on the back of a palomino horse with a black saddle with silver embellishments in the Rose Festival Parade. She is posed for the camera at the intersection of W Burnside of NW First Ave, the Grant Hotel and Noon Bag Company buildings are visible …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-163/

img Portland Rose Festival Parade- Float 40 (ddr-one-1-171)

Color slide of Rose Festival Parade float 40 driving down W Burnside in front of a crowd outside the Shoreline Hotel and Cafe, and Anchor Inn. The float has a large elephant made of white flowers and three women in Arabian costumes riding up front. On the float is a small yellow sign with the number …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-171/

img Reed College (ddr-one-1-364)

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 3180 (ddr-one-1-362).

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-364/

img Third Annual Oregon Nisei Bowling League Tournament Dance- Couple seated (ddr-one-1-124)

Original black and white photographic print of couple sitting at table at the Third Annual Nisei Bowling League Tournament Dance at McElroy's Ballroom in Portland, Oregon. The couple is smiling for the camera. From left to right: Bob Luck and Doris Chan. Negative ONLC 2940 (ddr-one-1-123).

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-124/