The DDR will be down for planned maintenance on Wednesday, December 11, 2019 from 12:00PM (noon) PST until 2:00PM PST. Densho websites encyclopedia.densho.org and resourceguide.densho.org will also be unavailable during this time; however, you will still be able to visit our blog and find other information about Densho at our main website, www.densho.org. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. Please email questions or comments to [email protected]

Railroads

When the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act ended the immigration of workers from China, railroad companies turned to the Japanese to fill the void. Labor contracting companies such as Furuya and Tobo recruited workers for the Northern Pacific and Great Northern railways. Issei (Japanese immigrant) men were primarily manual laborers, working ten-hour days laying tracks.

Industry and employment (329)
Railroads (60)

Gallery view
List view

60 items

doc Mr. and Mrs. Masao Nakata (ddr-csujad-8-51)

Oral history interview with Masao and Haruye [Harue] Nakata. Information on the oral history project is found in: csuf_stp_0012A; Glossary in: csuf_stp_0014. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: FCPL Nakata, Mr and Mrs Masao

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-8-51/

doc Clipping titled Exposed: America's World War II concentration camps (ddr-csujad-24-124)

An article published in Mount Holyoke Alumnae quarterly, Fall 1997. A profile of Michi Wegyln that details her writing of the book "Years of Infamy" as well as her efforts to try to get redress for Japanese American railroad workers who were fired during World War II. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese ...

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-24-124/

doc Letter from Michi Weglyn to Frank Chin, September 5, 1997 (ddr-csujad-24-78)

A letter from Michi Weglyn to Frank Chin in which she writes about doing research for the Yoshida railroad workers case. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: chi_06_004

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-24-78/

doc Letter from Michi Weglyn to Frank Chin, August 27, 1997 (ddr-csujad-24-75)

A letter from Michi Weglyn to Frank Chin in which Weglyn writes about the death of her husband Walter and thanks Chin for his support. Weglyn also writes about her support for railroad and mine workers. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: chi_06_001

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-24-75/

doc Letter from Ida Otani to Michi Weglyn, April 26, 1997 (ddr-csujad-24-135)

A letter from Ida Otani to Michi Weglyn about the firing of Japanese American railroad workers during World War II. Otani describes the hardships her family went through after her father was fired by Western Pacific Railroad and the family was forced to vacate their home because it was on railroad property. See this object in ...

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-24-135/

img Railroad bridges (ddr-csujad-25-12)

A page from an album containing Japanese family photographs. Four photographs are pasted on the page. The photographs appear to be taken in Spokane Washington in the early 1900s. Include photographs of Monrore Street Bridge, Latah Bridge, and Spokane Riverfront Park. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: jia_07_01_012

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-25-12/

doc George and Jean Abe interview (ddr-csujad-6-1)

Oral history interview with George and Jean Abe. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: SCRC_ABE_GEORGE_AND_JEAN

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-6-1/

doc Tadashi Kanemoto interview (ddr-csujad-6-11)

Oral history interview with Tadashi Kanemoto. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: SCRC_KANEMOTO_TADASHI

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-6-11/

doc Dr. Frank Nishio interview (ddr-csujad-6-26)

Oral history interview with Dr. Frank Nishio. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: SCRC_NISHIO_FRANK

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-6-26/

doc Kiichi Tange interview (ddr-csujad-6-30)

Oral history interview with Kiichi Tange. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: SCRC_TANGE_KIICHI

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-6-30/

doc Akira Yokomi (ddr-csujad-8-85)

Oral history interview with Akira Yokomi. Information on the oral history project is found in: csuf_stp_0012A; Glossary in: csuf_stp_0014. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: FCPL Yokomi, Akira

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-8-85/

doc Judge Mikio Uchiyama (ddr-csujad-8-78)

Oral history interview with Judge Mikio Uchiyama. Information on the oral history project is found in: csuf_stp_0012A; Glossary in: csuf_stp_0014. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: FCPL Uchiyama, Judge Miko

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-8-78/

doc Harley Mitsugi Nakamura (ddr-csujad-8-50)

Oral history interview with Harley Mitsugi Nakamura. Information on the oral history project is found in: csuf_stp_0012A; Glossary in: csuf_stp_0014. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: FCPL Nakamura, Harley Mitsugi

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-8-50/

doc Naomi Tagawa (ddr-csujad-8-69)

Oral history interview with Naomi Tagawa. Information on the oral history project is found in: csuf_stp_0012A; Glossary in: csuf_stp_0014. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: FCPL Tagawa, Naomi

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-8-69/

doc Dr. Mae Takahashi and Mr. Yoshito Takahashi (ddr-csujad-8-72)

Oral history interview with Dr. Mae Takahashi and Mr. Yoshio Takahashi. Information on the oral history project is found in: csuf_stp_0012A; Glossary in: csuf_stp_0014. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: FCPL Takahashi, Dr Mae and Mr Yoshito

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-8-72/

img Queen Anne and Seattle Railway yard (ddr-densho-26-226)

Written on back "West Q. Anne and Kinnear Park and Wheeler Bridge City Dry dumping site and G. N. Ry. Yard from my houee [sic], Looking East. July - 24 1948"

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-26-226/

doc Pacific Citizen, Vol. 60, No. 25 (June 18, 1965) (ddr-pc-37-25)

Selected article titles: "History Project: Issei Railroaders in the Rockies" (p.1), "Tanno Laborers May Be Sent Home in Two Weeks: Wirtz" (p.1), "JACL Youth Survey among Chapters On" (p.1), "Supreme Court Decisions" (p.2), "Accent on Youth" (p.2), "Low Voter Registration in Hawaii May Bring in U.S. Registrars" (p.3).

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-pc-37-25/