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 (66)
Leaving camp (128)
Returning home (941)

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941 items

doc Letter from Uhachi Tamesa to Min Tamesa (ddr-densho-333-21)

Letter to Min about returning home and attempting to seek restitution for stolen and damaged property

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-333-21/

doc Letter from Uhachi Tamesa to Min Tamesa (ddr-densho-333-20)

Letter to Min about returning home from camp

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-333-20/

doc Letter from Uhachi Tamesa to Min Tamesa (ddr-densho-333-18)

Letter to Min about returning home from camp

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-333-18/

doc Letter from Uhachi Tamesa to Arthur Emi (ddr-densho-333-22)

Letter to Art Emi about returning home and seeking restitution for stolen property

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-333-22/

doc Letter from Uhachi Tamesa to Min Tamesa (ddr-densho-333-19)

Letter to Min about returning home from camp

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-333-19/

doc Letter from Uhachi Tamesa to Mr. Burnett (ddr-densho-333-23)

Letter about returning home and attempting to recover stolen property

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-333-23/

doc Letter from Uhachi Tamesa to Min Tamesa (ddr-densho-333-17)

Letter to Min about returning home from camp

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-333-17/

img A woman at Renton housing (ddr-densho-328-36)

Caption in album: "Renton Housing / Seattle '46 / Miyeko Yoshimoto."

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-328-36/

doc Page of Hisa Nimura Horiuchi Scrapbook (ddr-densho-325-33)

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-325-33/

doc Letter approving travel (ddr-densho-314-19)

Andrew Jordan writes to Kazuichi Takanishi stating that his application for permission to travel has been approved and included a coach railroad ticket in the ticket. Takanishi was to travel from Chicago to Seattle and even though the war was officially over, Takanishi still had to report to the chief of the Detention, Deportation and Parole …

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-314-19/

doc Issei parole review (ddr-densho-314-7)

The memorandum states that Kazuichi Takanishi was placed in Group II after a CGRB review which allowed him to return to Hawaii from the mainland. The back of the document has a note from The National Archives stating that this document came from Record Group No. 338. The handwritten portion states "Military Government of Hawaii Internment …

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-314-7/

doc File transfer memorandum (ddr-densho-314-10)

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-314-10/

doc Letter to Henrietta Schoen from Riichi Togawa (ddr-densho-223-65)

A letter telling Henrietta Schoen about adjustment after returning home.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-223-65/

doc Letter to Henrietta Schoen from Shonosuke Futai (ddr-densho-223-80)

Farewell letter.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-223-80/

doc Letter to Henrietta Schoen from Kyujiro Ishida (ddr-densho-223-76)

Letter thanking Henrietta Schoen for her care of Kyujiro Ishida.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-223-76/

doc Letter to Henrietta Schoen from Edna Hamamoto (ddr-densho-223-64)

A letter thanking Henrietta Schoen for her care of Edna Hamamoto's father during his stay in Sante Fe.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-223-64/

doc Card to Henrietta Schoen from Kagumi Matsumoto (ddr-densho-223-66)

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-223-66/

doc Letter to Henrietta Schoen from Dr. Riuichi Ipponsugi (ddr-densho-223-63)

A letter regarding invoices for work done at Sante Fe.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-223-63/

doc The Northwest Times Vol. 1 No. 62 (August 29, 1947) (ddr-densho-229-49)

"Two Nisei Named to U.W. Faculty" (p. 1), "The Japanese Americans in Motion" (p. 1), "National JACL Asks Probe in Refusal to Give Nisei Shore Leave in B.C." (p. 1).

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-229-49/

doc The Northwest Times Vol. 3 No. 1 (January 1, 1949) (ddr-densho-229-168)

"Saints Win Second Straight Cage Crown" (p. 1), "Beauty of Yakima Valley Charms Wapato Returnees" (p. 3), "Evacuees Like Three Key Cities of Northwest" (p. 3)

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-229-168/

img Issei man in Los Angeles (ddr-densho-242-16)

Caption by Ike Hatchimonji: "Los Angeles - around 1947-48. Kumezo Hatchimoji at his home."

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-242-16/

img Issei woman (ddr-densho-242-17)

Caption by Ike Hatchimonji: "Nobue Hatchimonji, our mother. Place unknown - probably after WWII."

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-242-17/

doc Telegram from Yahachi Susuki to Tatsuya Ichikawa (ddr-densho-258-207)

A money order of $100 sent by Yahachi Susuki to Tatsuya Ichikawa to fund Ichikawa travel to Seattle.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-258-207/

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).

http://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).

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