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.

Returning home (911)

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911 items

doc Myer, Director of W.R.A., Clashes With Anti-Jap Group (October 12, 1944) (ddr-densho-56-1072)

The Seattle Daily Times, October 12, 1944, p. 2

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-56-1072/

doc Japs' Return To Be Orderly, Says W.R.A. (December 19, 1944) (ddr-densho-56-1085)

The Seattle Daily Times, December 19, 1944, p. 12

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-56-1085/

doc WRA booklet: "West Coast Incidents" (ddr-densho-274-29)

Booklet produced by the War Relocation Authority (WRA) that features clippings from major U.S. newspapers on Japanese Americans.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-274-29/

doc Japs Don't Want to Return to California, Says Ernst (May 12, 1943) (ddr-densho-56-914)

The Seattle Daily Times, May 12, 1943, p. 18

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-56-914/

doc Jap Evacuees' Return After Jan. 1 Approved (December 18, 1944) (ddr-densho-56-1082)

The Seattle Daily Times, December 18, 1944, pp. 1, 3

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-56-1082/

doc Japanese Get Back 6th of Seized Goods (July 25, 1945) (ddr-densho-56-1129)

The Seattle Daily Times, July 25, 1945, p. 7

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-56-1129/

doc Oregon Farmers Ask Nisei Deportation (February 10, 1945) (ddr-densho-56-1101)

The Seattle Daily Times, February 10, 1945, p. 2

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-56-1101/

doc Home Again. Japanese-American Farm Families Pick Up Peaceful, Industrious Lives. (April 21, 1947) (ddr-densho-56-1174)

The Seattle Daily Times, April 21, 1947, p. 13

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-56-1174/

doc Bullets Hit Home Of Japanese Couple (May 21, 1945) (ddr-densho-56-1118)

The Seattle Daily Times, May 21, 1945, p. 9

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-56-1118/

doc Returning Japs to Coast Discussed (April 22, 1943) (ddr-densho-56-903)

The Seattle Daily Times, April 22, 1943, p. 4

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-56-903/

doc C.I.O. Condemns Nisei Attacks (June 3, 1945) (ddr-densho-56-1121)

The Seattle Daily Times, June 3, 1945, p. 4

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-56-1121/

doc American Ship Crews Train in Buddhist Temple. New Oriental Building Used To Train Merchant Seamen (August 8, 1943) (ddr-densho-56-954)

The Seattle Daily Times, August 8, 1943, p. 39

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-56-954/

doc Boycotting of Japs to Bring Action by U.S. (July 1, 1945) (ddr-densho-56-1124)

The Seattle Daily Times, July 1, 1945, p. 15

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-56-1124/

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/

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

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

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 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 a Nisei man from his sister (ddr-densho-153-143)

Excerpt: "Okay, okay! I'm writing! Please don't get angry!" Sent from Los Angeles, California, possibly to Camp Robinson, Arkansas.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-153-143/

doc Letter to a Nisei man from his sister (ddr-densho-153-123)

Excerpt: "Thank you very much for your letters." Sent from Manzanar concentration camp, California, possibly to Camp Robinson, Arkansas.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-153-123/

img Northwest Buddhist Convention Banquet (ddr-one-1-417)

Black and white photographic negative of guests at the Northwest Buddhist Convention banquet dinner in the basement of the Seattle Buddhist Church. A flag with the Wheel of Dharma is visible behind the head table. Sitting at table in foreground on left hand side from left to right: Harry Toshi, unidentified, Irene (Fujii) Mano, unidentified and ...

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-417/

img Sorelles Group Photo (ddr-one-1-10)

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 ...

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-10/

img Sorelles Beach Outing (ddr-one-1-392)

Black and white photographic negative of crowd of Nisei at a beach outing planned by the Sorrelles (a high school social group).

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-392/

img Obon Festival- Odori folk dance (ddr-one-1-207)

Black and white photographic negative of Obon dancers in a partial circle in front of a crowd that encloses the dancers. Obon dancers: left corner of image in front of dancer wearing a headscarf is Phyllis Midori (Ando) Muramatsu, behind woman in headscarf is Mabel (Maekawa) Ota followed by Kathleen "Kathie" Haruko (Matsuda) Sato, ninth from ...

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-207/

img Wedding Reception (ddr-one-1-133)

Black and white photographic negative of a unknown wedding reception with a group of wedding guests standing next to the gift table. Standing in the back behind the gifts is Mitsy (Kiyomura) Takeoka.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-133/

img Portland Rose Festival Parade- float 18 "Sailing" (ddr-one-1-472)

Color slide of Rose Festival Parade float 18 driving down W Burnside in front of a crowd gathered outside the Noon Bag Company building. On the side of the building is an advertisement for San Juan Slacks. The float is a large sailboat with six women riding inside, one is holding a pink ribbon. The sail ...

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-472/