Social and recreational activities

Japanese Americans found ways to fill the long days created by the enforced idleness of camp life. They made jewelry from shells found in the desert, built furniture for their rooms using scrap lumber and renovated the exteriors of their barracks. People also played cards, chess, checkers, mahjongg, and the Japanese games 'go' and 'shogi.' Camp inmates held dances, concerts, plays, and arts and crafts exhibitions. In Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho, they even held a beauty contest to select the "Sweetheart of Minidoka."

World War II (231)
Concentration camps (1434)
Social and recreational activities (1155)

Related articles from the Densho Encyclopedia :
Arts and crafts in camp, Music in camp

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1155 items

img Photograph of wagon wheels at Furnace Creek Camp in Death Valley (ddr-csujad-47-105)

Photograph of two wagon frames with attached wheels for borax transportation in front of Furnace Creek Camp at Death Valley National Park. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: ecm_merritt_0190

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-47-105/

img Photograph of a young boy sitting in an Army jeep in Death Valley (ddr-csujad-47-134)

Photograph of a young boy sitting in an Army jeep in Death Valley National Park. Incarcerees were transferred to the former Civilian Conservation Camp after the Manzanar Riot for their own protection. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: ecm_merritt_0219

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-47-134/

img Photograph of a group of people at Manzanar (ddr-csujad-47-213)

Photograph of a group of men, women and two children posing on the rocks in the hospital garden in Manzanar incarceration camp. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: ecm_merritt_0357

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-47-213/

img Photograph of landscape in Death Valley (ddr-csujad-47-152)

Photograph of landscape in Death Valley National Park. Hills and mountains are visible. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: ecm_merritt_0253

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-47-152/

img Photograph of women at a Manzanar hospital staff picnic (ddr-csujad-47-283)

Photograph of two women near Manzanar incarceration camp enjoying a hospital staff picnic. They are resting on a blanket. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: ecm_merritt_0432

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-47-283/

img Photograph of a group of people, including David Stingley (ddr-csujad-47-273)

Photograph of a group of people, including David Stingley, relaxing under a tree near Manzanar incarceration camp at a hospital staff picnic. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: ecm_merritt_0422

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-47-273/

img Photograph of two women sunbathing topless near Manzanar (ddr-csujad-47-181)

Photograph of two women sunbathing topless on a blanket near Manzanar incarceration camp. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: ecm_merritt_0307

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-47-181/

img Photograph of Zabriske Point area in Death Valley (ddr-csujad-47-95)

Photograph of Zabriske Point area in Death Valley. The Panamint range can be seen in the background. The photograph is vertically oriented. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: ecm_merritt_0174

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-47-95/

img Photograph of a group of women sitting in front of a stand of trees near Manzanar (ddr-csujad-47-274)

Photograph of a group of six women sitting in front of a stand of trees near Manzanar incarceration camp at a hospital staff picnic. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: ecm_merritt_0423

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-47-274/

img Photograph of women at a Manzanar hospital staff picnic (ddr-csujad-47-289)

Photograph of four women sitting on a bench in front of a storage container near Manzanar incarceration camp at a hospital staff picnic. Second from right is Connie. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: ecm_merritt_0438

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-47-289/

Photograph of a group of people including L. Josephine Hawes, B. Feitis, S.S. Corney and Pete Merritt sitting under trees near Manzanar (ddr-csujad-47-277)

img Photograph of a group of people including L. Josephine Hawes, B. Feitis, S.S. Corney and Pete Merritt sitting under trees near Manzanar (ddr-csujad-47-277)

Photograph of a group of people including L. Josephine Hawes, B. Feitis, S.S. Corney and Pete Merritt sitting under trees near Manzanar incarceration camp at a hospital staff picnic. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: ecm_merritt_0426

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-47-277/

img Photograph of Morse Little and his son (ddr-csujad-47-302)

Photograph of Morse Little and his son, both drinking from bottles, near the Manzanar incarceration camp at a hospital staff picnic. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: ecm_merritt_0451

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-47-302/

img Photograph of Zabriske Point area in Death Valley (ddr-csujad-47-88)

Colorized photograph of the Zabriske Point area in Death Valley National Park. The Panamint range can be seen in the background. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: ecm_merritt_0164

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-47-88/

img Photograph of a group in Death Valley (ddr-csujad-47-121)

Photograph of eight adults and two children in a picnic area at Death Valley National Park. A shade structure with a table is in the background behind several trees. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: ecm_merritt_0206

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-47-121/

img Photograph of a person standing on a rock in the snow-covered mountains (ddr-csujad-47-294)

Photograph of a person standing on a rock in the snow-covered Sierra Nevada mountains behind Manzanar incarceration camp. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: ecm_merritt_0443

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-47-294/

img Photograph of Titus Canyon in Death Valley (ddr-csujad-47-142)

Photograph of Titus Canyon in Death Valley National Park. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: ecm_merritt_0227

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-47-142/

img Photograph of the front entrance to Furnace Creek Camp in Death Valley (ddr-csujad-47-102)

Photograph of the front entrance of Furnace Creek Camp with a closed notice under the sign. In the foreground is the frame of a wagon, and the empty gas station can be seen on the right side. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: ecm_merritt_0185

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-47-102/

img Jo for a New Years Day dip. Yes, cold! (ddr-csujad-47-117)

Photograph of L. Josephine Hawes going for a swim on New Years Day in Death Valley National Park. A roof line and mountains can be seen in the background. Caption reads: Jo for a New Years Day dip. Yes, cold! Title from caption, which was taken from the original photo album. See this object in the …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-47-117/

img Photograph of the face of Rainbow Falls near Mammoth Lakes, California (ddr-csujad-47-93)

Photograph of the face of Rainbow Falls near Mammoth Lakes, California. The photograph includes the crest with the bushes lining the stream to the base and the cliffs on both sides of the falls. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: ecm_merritt_0172

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-47-93/

img Photograph of L. Josephine Hawes and Theo Chamberlain in front of standing water at Bad Water in Death Valley (ddr-csujad-47-101)

Photograph of five people standing in front of the water at Bad Water in Death Valley National Park. L. Josephine Hawes and Theo Chamberlain are two of the four women. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: ecm_merritt_0184

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-47-101/

img Photograph of Elizabeth Moxley and a young boy at Manzanar (ddr-csujad-47-284)

Photograph of Elizabeth Moxley and a young boy in front of a building at Manzanar incarceration camp. A table with a picnic tablecloth is behind them. The house has a ladder leaning on it. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: ecm_merritt_0433

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-47-284/

img Photograph of a women leaning against a boulder in a rock field near Manzanar (ddr-csujad-47-308)

Photograph of a women leaning against a boulder in a rock field near the Manzanar incarceration camp. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: ecm_merritt_0459

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-47-308/

img Photograph of a borax wagon at Furnace Creek Camp in Death Valley (ddr-csujad-47-103)

Photograph of two borax wagons with an attached water tank wagon in front of trees at Furnace Creek Camp at Death Valley National Monument. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: ecm_merritt_0186

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-47-103/

img Photograph of a women at Manzanar (ddr-csujad-47-287)

Photograph of a women enjoying a cup of tea in a camp chair on a lawn at Manzanar incarceration camp. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: ecm_merritt_0436

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-47-287/

img Photograph of a borax train at Furnace Creek Camp in Death Valley (ddr-csujad-47-104)

Photograph of the Old Dinah Borax Train in front of Furnace Creek Camp in Death Valley National Park. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: ecm_merritt_0189

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-47-104/