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-1-298)

Black and white photographic negative of Obon dancers rehearsing an Odori folk dance inside Norse Hall in Northeast Portland. Dancers form two lines in front of a small seated audience on the floor and in the balcony. Adult male Obon dancers on far right of image identified from right to left: Arthur Ojiro “Art” Sasaki, Reverend …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-298/

img Portland Rose Festival Parade- Marine Color Guard (ddr-one-1-506)

Color slide of a formal four man Marine Corps Color Guard in dress blues marching in the Portland Rose Festival Parade carrying the American and Marine Corps flags. They are marching on SW Third Ave past a crowd gathered in front of a Signal gas station and San Francisco Tailor, behind the Signal gas station is …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-506/

img Northwest Buddhist Convention (ddr-one-1-430)

Black and white photographic negative of two Nisei women standing holding binders and notepads in front of a chalkboard at the Northwest Buddhist Convention in Seattle, Washington at the Seattle Buddhist Church. Woman on the right identified as Yasuko Hashimoto.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-430/

img Portland Rose Festival Parade- float 10 "Blowing Bubbles" (ddr-one-1-476)

Color slide of Rose Festival Parade float 10 driving down W Burnside in front of a crowd gathered outside the Grant and Shoreline Hotels. The float is made of pink and white flowers with two female riders sitting and waving to the crowd. The side of the float reads "U.S. National Bank," the front reads "Blowing …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-476/

img Nisei on stage (ddr-one-1-346)

Black and white photographic negative of four Nisei standing on a stage, two additional Nisei sitting to the side. The four standing Nisei are each holding an object- possibly performing some kind of skit. From left to right: Miriam (Koyama) Kiso, Eugene Hayashi, Rose Namba, Nami (Miura) Koida, Toyse "Toy" Muira, and Ko Tambara. This photograph …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-346/

img Hanamatsuri (birth of Buddha celebration) Odori Performance (ddr-one-1-408)

Black and white photographic negative of an unidentified Odori dancer performing with a woven basket in hand on stage for Hanamatsuri (birth of Buddha celebration) inside the Oregon Buddhist Church (now known as the Oregon Buddhist Temple).

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-408/

doc Telegrams from Edward N. Scheiberling (ddr-densho-1007-948)

Responses to requests to restore 15 Japanese Americans, including Frank Hachiya, to the Honor Roll of the American Legion.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-948/

doc Statement to the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians, written by Elaine Yoneda (ddr-densho-1007-892)

Elaine Yoneda was married to Karl Yoneda, an American-born Japanese man who was raised in Hiroshima. This statement describes their family's incarceration at the Manzanar camp.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-892/

doc Oregon War Hero Honored (ddr-densho-1007-949)

Article from The Oregonian describing the upcoming memorial for Frank Hachiya.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-949/

doc Testimony of Mitsuye T. Kamada (ddr-densho-1007-1821)

Mitsuye T. Kamada's statement to the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians in New York City, New York on November 23, 1981. She describes her family's experience at Heart Mountain and the multiple impacts of incarceration and argues her support for redress and reparations.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-1821/

doc Testimony Submittal of Nobuko Y. Suzuki (ddr-densho-1007-1819)

Nobuko Y. Suzuki's statement to the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians in September, 1981 describing her life before, during, and after the war especially in regard to discrimination she faced throughout her life. She then argues her support for redress.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-1819/

doc Vandals' Signs Scare Wife (ddr-densho-1007-644)

Slide of newspaper clipping, created in September 1984.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-644/

doc Message from the Director of the War Relocation Authority (ddr-densho-430-39)

Message and information about the War Relocation Authority's Relocation Program following the re-opening of the West Coast to Japanese Americans.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-430-39/

doc The Newell Star, Vol. II, No. 46 (November 16, 1945) (ddr-densho-284-98)

Selected article titles: "1 Month Left for Planning: More Than 3000 Leave Since First of the Year" (p. 1), "Minors Born in U.S. May Return as U.S. Citizens" (pp. 1-2), and "400 Islanders Slated to Return Home Soon" (p. 2), and "Tuleans Receive Surprise on Way to Seabrook Farms" (p. 3).

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-284-98/

doc Information Bulletin No. 3 (January 29, 1945) (ddr-densho-284-53)

Tule Lake Center informational bulletin which includes a statement by WRA National Director, Dillon S. Myer, regarding the future of the center.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-284-53/

doc The Newell Star, Vol. II, No. 10 (March 9, 1945) (ddr-densho-284-59)

Selected article titles: "Japan Sends New Memo on Exchange of Nationals" (p. 1), "Night Attack Reported on Santa Clara Evacuee" (p. 1), and "Long Beach YWCA Ready to Give Assistance" (p. 3).

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-284-59/

doc The Newell Star, Vol. II, No. 9 (March 2, 1945) (ddr-densho-284-58)

Selected article titles: "More Internees to Leave Sunday" (p. 1), "WRA Determined to Close Centers-Myer" (p. 2), and "GI's May Visit Interned Kins" (p. 4).

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-284-58/

doc The Newell Star, Vol. II, No. 12 (March 23, 1945) (ddr-densho-284-61)

Selected article titles: "Statement Given on Special Project Rules" (p. 1), "Relocators Get Kindly Welcome on Return Home" (p. 2), "Japanese School Damaged in Second Delano Fire" (p. 2), and "Two-Day 'Shibai and Buyo' Begins Tonight at Aud." (p. 4).

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-284-61/

doc The Newell Star, Vol. II, No. 35 (August 31, 1945) (ddr-densho-284-83)

Selected article titles: "Less Work: Tule to Go on 40-Hour Work Week from Sept. 9" (p. 1), "Ration-Free Shoes May Be Available" (p. 1), "Return of Evacuees Topic of Renton, Wash. Meeting" (p. 3), and "Survey Shows Many Tuleans Now in Sacramento Area" (p. 4).

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-284-83/

img Chinese Wedding Celebration (ddr-one-1-237)

Black and white photographic negative of Fred Lee and Betty Jean (Chinn) Lee's wedding guests outside in front of a fence. On the ground is a dragon costume. An unidentified man is spinning a long pole in front of crowd to the right, several men in the crowd appear to be playing a large drum, gong …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-237/

doc JACL Bulletin 26: Questionnaire for Those Desiring to Return to The Pacific Coast (ddr-densho-329-1026)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-329-1026/

img Japanese Americans leaving camp by bus (ddr-densho-37-783)

Original WRA caption: Gila River Relocation Center, Rivers, Arizona. Aboard the Greyhound bus, which will take them to their former homes in California, these evacuees are anxious to be off. On September 15, two weeks before the Canal Camp at Rivers, Arizona, was to close, only 635 people remained and 370 of these had bus or …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-37-783/

img Japanese Americans boarding buses (ddr-densho-37-784)

Original WRA caption: Gila River Relocation Center, Rivers, Arizona. Evacuees returning to their former homes in California by Greyhound bus. On September 15, two weeks before the Canal Camp at Rivers, Arizona, was to close, only 635 people remained and 370 of these had bus or train reservations for the following week (the Canal Camp once …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-37-784/

Message from the Director of the War Relocation Authority and Summery of WRA Policies and Procedures for the Final Phase of the Relocation Program (ddr-densho-356-923)

doc Message from the Director of the War Relocation Authority and Summery of WRA Policies and Procedures for the Final Phase of the Relocation Program (ddr-densho-356-923)

Written message from Dillon S. Myer, Director of the War Relocation Authority to internees regarding the reopening of the West Coast to Japanese Americans. Attached to the message is policy guidelines for resettlement out of WRA camps.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-356-923/

doc Letter to Yuri Tsukada from Sadame Nomi (ddr-densho-356-396)

Letter to Yuriko Domoto Tsukada from Sadame Nomi in which Sadame thanks Yuri for her wedding portrait, provides details about the way she celebrated the holidays and provides details about mutual friends. Item tied together with all objects between ddr-densho-356-321 and ddr-densho-356-413.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-356-396/