1. Topics

The journey

The journey to temporary "assembly centers" was a difficult and disorienting experience. After gathering at designated locations, Japanese Americans were met by armed soldiers and transported in buses, private cars, and trains to sixteen temporary "assembly centers." When they arrived at their new homes -- often hastily refurbished fairgrounds and racetracks -- they were shocked to see barbed-wire fences, guard towers, and searchlights.

World War II (231)
Temporary Assembly Centers (231)
The journey (119)

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119 items
Mother with infant arrives at Stockton (ddr-densho-151-251)
img Mother with infant arrives at Stockton (ddr-densho-151-251)
Original caption: Stockton, California. Young mother of Japanese ancestry arrives at Assembly center with 21 day old baby.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-251/
Issei woman boarding bus (ddr-densho-151-261)
img Issei woman boarding bus (ddr-densho-151-261)
Original caption: San Francisco, California. Friends and neighbors congregate to bid farewell, though not for long, to their friends who are enroute to the Tanforan Assembly center. They, themselves will be evacuated within three days.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-261/
Japanese Americans waving goodbye from train (ddr-densho-151-299)
img Japanese Americans waving goodbye from train (ddr-densho-151-299)
Original caption: Woodland, Yolo County, California. Ten cars of evacuees of Japanese ancestry are now aboard and the doors are closed. Their Caucasian friends and the staff of the Wartime Civil Control Administration stations are watching the departure from the platform. Evacuees are leaving their homes and ranches, in a rich agricultural district, bound for Merced …
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-299/
Mother and children waiting in line (ddr-densho-151-223)
img Mother and children waiting in line (ddr-densho-151-223)
Original caption: Turlock, California. Families of Japanese ancestry arrive at Turlock Assembly Center. Evacuees will be housed later at War Relocation Authority centers for the duration.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-223/
Japanese Americans boarding bus (ddr-densho-151-205)
img Japanese Americans boarding bus (ddr-densho-151-205)
Original caption: Centerville, California. The bus has just arrived and these farm families of Japanese ancestry are being kept intact enroute to the Assembly center.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-205/
Japanese American family boarding bus (ddr-densho-151-144)
img Japanese American family boarding bus (ddr-densho-151-144)
Original caption: Byron, California. The bus which will take this farm family of Japanese ancestry to the Assembly center is almost ready to leave. Note identification tag on small boy.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-144/
Families arriving at Turlock (ddr-densho-151-455)
img Families arriving at Turlock (ddr-densho-151-455)
Original caption: Turlock, California. Families of Japanese ancestry arrived at Turlock Assembly. Evacuees will be housed later at War Relocation Authority centers for the duration.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-455/
Japanese American family boarding bus (ddr-densho-151-145)
img Japanese American family boarding bus (ddr-densho-151-145)
Original caption: Byron, California. This family of Japanese ancestry, evacuated from this farm in Contra Costa County, boards bus for Assembly center at Turlock Fairgrounds, 65 miles away. Evacuees will be transported later to War Relocation Authority centers where they will spend the duration.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-145/
Japanese Americans saying goodbye from train (ddr-densho-151-296)
img Japanese Americans saying goodbye from train (ddr-densho-151-296)
Original caption: Woodland, California. Evacuees of Japanese ancestry from this rich agricultural district are on their way to Merced Assembly center. This special train consists of ten cars.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-296/
Japanese Americans waiting for baggage inspection (ddr-densho-151-226)
img Japanese Americans waiting for baggage inspection (ddr-densho-151-226)
Original caption: Turlock, California. These evacuees of Japanese ancestry have just arrived at this Assembly center and are awaiting the inspection of their baggage. They will then be assigned places in the barracks to remain until they are transferred to a War Relocation Authority center for the duration.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-226/
White townspeople saying goodbye (ddr-densho-151-298)
img White townspeople saying goodbye (ddr-densho-151-298)
Original caption: Woodland, Yolo County, California. Ten cars of evacuees of Japanese ancestry are now aboard the train and the doors are closed. Their Caucasian friends and the staff of the Wartime Civil Control Administration stations are watching the departure form the platform. Evacuees are leaving their homes, ranches, in a rich agricultural district for Merced …
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-298/
Child looking out of bus window (ddr-densho-151-174)
img Child looking out of bus window (ddr-densho-151-174)
Original caption: San Francisco, California. A young evacuee looks out the window of bus before it starts for Tanforan Assembly center. Evacuees will be transferred to War Relocation Authority centers for the duration.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-174/
Japanese Americans boarding bus (ddr-densho-151-149)
img Japanese Americans boarding bus (ddr-densho-151-149)
Original caption: Byron, California. The moment has come for these farm families of Japanese ancestry to board the bus that will take them from their homes and ranches to the Assembly center, 65 miles away.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-149/
Japanese Americans boarding buses (ddr-densho-151-143)
img Japanese Americans boarding buses (ddr-densho-151-143)
Original caption: Byron, California. Farm families of Japanese ancestry boarding buses for Turlock Assembly center 65 miles away. An official of the Wartime Civil Control Administration is checking the families into the bus by number.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-143/
Japanese American crying as train leaves station (ddr-densho-151-302)
img Japanese American crying as train leaves station (ddr-densho-151-302)
Original caption: Woodland, California. Ten cars of evacuees of Japanese ancestry are now aboard and the doors are closed. Their Caucasian friends and the staff of the Wartime Civil Control Administration stations are watching the departure form the platform. Evacuees are leaving their homes and ranches, in a rich agricultural district, bound for Merced Assembly center …
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-302/
Baggage inspection (ddr-densho-151-221)
img Baggage inspection (ddr-densho-151-221)
Original caption: Turlock, California. Heads of families of Japanese ancestry are gathered about the table where their hand- baggage is being inspected for contraband before being admitted into the Assembly center.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-221/
Japanese Americans arriving at Tanforan (ddr-densho-151-155)
img Japanese Americans arriving at Tanforan (ddr-densho-151-155)
Original caption: San Bruno, California. Family of Japanese ancestry arrives at assembly center at Tanforan Race track. Evacuees will be transferred later to War Relocation Authority centers where they will be housed for the duration.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-155/
Japanese Americans boarding bus (ddr-densho-151-208)
img Japanese Americans boarding bus (ddr-densho-151-208)
Original caption: Centerville, California. Members of farm family board evacuation buses. Evacuees of Japanese ancestry will be housed in War Relocation Authority centers for the duration.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-208/
Boarding train to Merced Assembly Center (ddr-densho-151-291)
img Boarding train to Merced Assembly Center (ddr-densho-151-291)
Original caption: Woodland, California. Families of Japanese ancestry leave the station platform to board the train for the Assembly Center about 125 miles away. About 750 people of Japanese ancestry have been evacuated from this area under Civilian Exclusion Order Number 78.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-291/
Japanese Americans waiting for medical examination (ddr-densho-151-222)
img Japanese Americans waiting for medical examination (ddr-densho-151-222)
Original caption: Turlock, California. These evacuees of Japanese ancestry are awaiting their turn for medical examination before being assigned to their places in the barracks, after their arrival at this assembly center.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-222/
Japanese Americans boarding bus (ddr-densho-151-147)
img Japanese Americans boarding bus (ddr-densho-151-147)
Original caption: Byron, California. The moment has come for these farm families of Japanese ancestry to board the bus that will take them from their homes and ranches to the Assembly center, 65 miles away.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-147/
Japanese Americans boarding bus (ddr-densho-151-148)
img Japanese Americans boarding bus (ddr-densho-151-148)
Original caption: Byron, California. The moment has come for these farm families of Japanese descent to board the bus which will take them from their farm homes and ranches to the Assembly center 65 miles away.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-148/
Japanese Americans boarding bus (ddr-densho-151-206)
img Japanese Americans boarding bus (ddr-densho-151-206)
Original caption: Centerville, California. The bus has just arrived and these farm families of Japanese ancestry are being kept intact while enroute to the Assembly center.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-206/
Baggage inspection (ddr-densho-151-225)
img Baggage inspection (ddr-densho-151-225)
Original caption: Turlock, California. Baggage is inspected as families arrive at Turlock assembly center. Evacuees of Japanese ancestry will be transferred later to War Relocation Authority centers where they will spend the duration.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-225/
Japanese Americans boarding bus (ddr-densho-151-142)
img Japanese Americans boarding bus (ddr-densho-151-142)
Original caption: Byron, California. Farm families of Japanese ancestry boarding buses for Turlock Assembly Center 65 miles away. An official of the Wartime Civil Control Administration is checking the families into the bus by number.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-142/
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