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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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 Letter to Yuri Tsukada from Wak Domoto (ddr-densho-356-581)

Letter to Yuriko Domoto Tsukada from her sister Wakako Domoto. Wak writes her journey to California during which she learned a lot of news about individuals they knew in Japan and Nisei who served in the war, she also details how she spent Easter with their sister Tokuko Kishi.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-356-581/

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/

vh Nancy Kyoko Oda Segment 5 (ddr-densho-1000-463-5)

Returning to California after the war where father taught judo

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-463-5/

vh Floyd Schmoe Interview II Segment 1 (ddr-densho-1000-86-1)

Giving aid to Japanese Americans returning to Washington state after the war

In this interview Mr. Schmoe refers to Aki Kurose, a former employee, fellow Quaker, peace activist, and long-time friend. At the time of this interview, Ms. Kurose had recently passed away after a long struggle with cancer. At the time of this interview, Mr. …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-86-1/

vh Helen Takeshita Segment 7 (ddr-densho-1000-471-7)

Living in Hunters Point, California

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-471-7/

vh Alan Nishio Segment 2 (ddr-densho-1000-450-2)

Distant relationship with father while helping with gardening route

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-450-2/

vh Yoshiye Handa Yasuda Interview Segment 9 (ddr-densho-1000-485-9)

Remembering social groups postwar

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-485-9/

vh Yoshiye Handa Yasuda Interview Segment 10 (ddr-densho-1000-485-10)

Reviving father's carpentry business after the war

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-485-10/

vh Yoshiye Handa Yasuda Interview Segment 8 (ddr-densho-1000-485-8)

Returning to San Francisco, going back to school

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-485-8/

vh Lon Inaba Interview Segment 14 (ddr-densho-1000-537-14)

Family's return to the Yakima valley: mixed reception

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-537-14/

vh Kazuko Iwahashi Interview Segment 20 (ddr-densho-1000-337-20)

Leaving camp and returning home

This material is based upon work assisted by a grant from the Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Any opinions, finding, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of the Interior.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-337-20/