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 (231)
Leaving camp (287)
Returning home (1049)

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1049 items

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

Letter about returning home and attempting to recover stolen property

https://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

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

doc Crossroads, Vol. 1, No. 42 (March 18, 1949) (ddr-densho-358-16)

Selected article titles: "Negroes, Chinese Oppose ENI" (p.1), "Evacuation Claims Questions, Answers" (p.2), "Toyo San: Saga of Senbei to Smart Photography" (p.3), "Mr. Watanabe Builds His Dream House" (p.11).

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-358-16/

img Couple reclaiming property (ddr-densho-36-6)

Japanese Americans waiting to reclaim their property after World War II.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-36-6/

img Family returning home (ddr-densho-36-54)

Kametaro Funai (driving the tractor), and his family return home after the incarceration. The man standing on the platform is believed to be Floyd Schmoe, a well-known peace activist. After World War II, Schmoe organized teams of people to help Japanese Americans reestablish their farms. Museum identifying information refers to the group helping Funai as uni …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-36-54/

doc Scrapbook page (ddr-densho-35-370)

Newspaper clippings from the Oregonian and Oregon Journal, one of which is titled "Gresham Antis Get Censure."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-35-370/

doc Scrapbook page: "The Gresham Area" (ddr-densho-35-363)

Various newspaper clippings on the group, Oregon Anti-Japanese, Inc. One of the articles is titled "Gresham Group Organizes to Oppose Return of Japs."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-35-363/

doc Scrapbook page (ddr-densho-35-375)

Newspaper clippings from a scrapbook page, one of which is titled: "Farm Returned To Japanese By Jury Order." Newspapers include the Oregonian, Oregon Journal, and Pacific Citizen.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-35-375/

doc Scrapbook page (ddr-densho-35-353)

Newspaper articles from the New York Times, Oregonian, and Pacific Citizen all describing public reactions to Japanese Americans returning to the West Coast. One of the articles is titled "Union Limits Nisei to Ex-Service Men: Teamsters' Union Says it Will Oppose All Other Japanese in West Coast Jobs."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-35-353/

doc Chicago Defender article: "L.A. Housing Fight Looms As Japs Return" (ddr-densho-35-135)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-35-135/

doc Scrapbook page (ddr-densho-35-366)

Three newspaper clippings from the Gresham Outlook, Oregonian, and Oregon Journal, one of which is titled "Anti-Japanese Group Founding Gets Go-Ahead."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-35-366/

doc Newspaper clippings from scrapbook page (ddr-densho-35-359)

Six articles from the Pacific Citizen and Oregonian, one of which is titled "From Camp to College: 3000 Japanese Americans Have Enrolled in 550 U.S. Schools Since Evacuation."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-35-359/

doc Newspaper clippings from scrapbook page (ddr-densho-35-354)

Six articles from the Pacific Citizen, Oregonian, and the Baptist Youth Paper on resettlement of Japanese Americans. One of the articles is titled: "Race Relations Council Sends Officials to Discuss Evacuee Problem with Agency Heads."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-35-354/

doc Scrapbook page: "Citizens' Committee" (ddr-densho-35-383)

Newspaper clippings frim the Minidoka Irrigator, Oregonian, Pacific Citizen, and Oregon Journal.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-35-383/

doc Scrapbook page: "The Fujimoto Case" (ddr-densho-35-374)

Newspaper clippings from the Oregonian, Oregon Journal, and Gresham Outlook. One of the articles is titled: "Court Orders New Trial In Nisei Property Case."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-35-374/

doc Resettlement articles from scrapbook (ddr-densho-35-352)

Articles from the Christian Science Monitor, Minidoka Irrigator, and Pacific Citizen. One of the articles is titled: "Economic Rivalry Influenced Army's Exclusion Ban - Sun."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-35-352/

doc Advertisement for anti-Japanese meeting (ddr-densho-35-365)

Advertisement for a meeting held by the Oregon Property Owners' Protective League, Inc.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-35-365/

doc Sunday Oregonian article (ddr-densho-35-358)

Article from scrapbook page titled "Japanese Evacuees: Where Do They Belong."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-35-358/

doc Scrapbook page (ddr-densho-35-371)

Newspaper clippings from the Oregon Journal and an advertisement for a mass meeting from the Gresham Outlook.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-35-371/

doc Scrapbook page: "Gresham Area (cont'd)" (ddr-densho-35-372)

Four articles from scrapbook page, one of which is titled: "Stand Taken on Japanese: Several Speak at Gresham Meeting." Newspapers include the Oregonian and Gresham Outlook.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-35-372/

doc Scrapbook page (ddr-densho-35-392)

Newspaper articles titled: "Racial Test Arrives in California," "MacNaughton Will Speak on Japanese," and "'On Being Nisei...'" Newspapers include the Christian Science Monitor, Minidoka Irrigator, and Oregon Journal.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-35-392/

doc Newspaper clippings from scrapbook page (ddr-densho-35-350)

Various articles from the Oregonian and Oregon Journal, one of which is titled "Japanese Land Owners Prepare to Return Here."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-35-350/

doc Notes from Oregon Property Owners' Protective League meeting (ddr-densho-35-367)

The subject of this meeting is titled: "League to deport citizens of Japanese ancestry." The notes consist of exerpts taken from speeches made at the meeting.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-35-367/

doc Scrapbook page with one article (ddr-densho-35-401)

Newspaper clipping from the Christian Science Monitor titled "Keiko Is Home."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-35-401/

doc Scrapbook page: "The Portland Area" (ddr-densho-35-382)

Various newspaper clippings, one of which is titled: "Council Defeats Anti-Japanese Resolution." Newspapers include: the Minidoka Irrigator, Portland Labor Press, Oregonian, and Oregon Journal.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-35-382/