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 (283)
Concentration camps (2078)
Social and recreational activities (1262)

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

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1262 items

img Photograph of Edna Anderson, Bernice Sibner, and Christine Little at a Manzanar hospital staff picnic (ddr-csujad-47-301)

Photograph of Edna Anderson, Bernice Sibner, and Christine Little near the Manzanar incarceration camp at hospital staff picnic. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: ecm_merritt_0450

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-47-301/

doc Heart Mountain Relocation Project Fourth Community Council, 10th session (March 7, 1945) (ddr-csujad-45-13)

The council minutes feature a round table discussion on the restriction on Japanese shows at the camp, and clothing allowances. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: HMRC_01-01_042

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-45-13/

doc Heart Mountain Relocation Project Fourth Community Council, 11th session (March 8, 1945) (ddr-csujad-45-14)

The council minutes feature the new restrictions on Japanese shows at the camp. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: HMRC_01-01_043

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-45-14/

doc Heart Mountain Relocation Project Fourth Community Council, 20th session (April 6, 1945) (ddr-csujad-45-22)

The council minutes feature the discussion on the danger of ticks at the camp wide picnic. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: HMRC_01-01_051

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-45-22/

doc Heart Mountain Relocation Project Fourth Community Council, 12th session (March 13, 1945) (ddr-csujad-45-15)

The council minutes feature the approving of a camp wide picnic. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: HMRC_01-01_044

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-45-15/

doc Heart Mountain Relocation Project Fourth Community Council, 9th session (March 6, 1945) (ddr-csujad-45-12)

The council minutes feature a discussion on the camp discontinuing sponsorship of Japanese shows. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: HMRC_01-01_041

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-45-12/

doc Heart Mountain Relocation Project Fourth Community Council, 13th session (March 15, 1945) (ddr-csujad-45-16)

The council minutes feature a discussion of the plans for a camp wide picnic. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: HMRC_01-01_045

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-45-16/

doc Manzanar From Inside Out (ddr-csujad-19-2)

Text of address by Roy Nash, Director of the Manzanar War Relocation Project, given to the Commonwealth Club of California, San Francisco, on July 31, 1942 for the purpose of "interpret[ing] the actuality of a War Relocation Center housing 10,000 evacuees" in view of perceptions of mistreatment of incarcerees in California. Sections of the speech include …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-19-2/

img Artist completing a watercolor at Granada incarceration camp (ddr-csujad-14-49)

Artist completing a watercolor at Granada incarceration camp. Photo by Tom Parker. December 13, 1942. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: HMLSC_TOMO_f14

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-14-49/

img Self-organized harikuri band, string quartet, at Jerome incarceration camp (ddr-csujad-14-18)

Self-organized harikuri band, a string quartet at Jerome incarceration camp. Guitar, Joe Iwasaki; first mandolin, Johnny Yamashita; violin, Seichi Ono; second mandolin, Yutaka Motsuda. March 12, 1943. Photo by Tom Parker. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: HMLSC_TOMO_018

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-14-18/

img Swing Band practice at Heart Mountain incarceration camp (ddr-csujad-14-51)

Swing Band practice at Heart Mountain incarceration camp. September 16, 1942. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: HMLSC_TOMO_f16

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-14-51/

img High school Junior Class dance at Granada incarceration camp (ddr-csujad-14-43)

High school Junior Class dance at Granada incarceration camp. December 11, 1942. Photo by Tom Parker. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: HMLSC_TOMO_f08

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-14-43/

img Incarcerees watching outdoor musical performance at Manzanar incarceration camp (ddr-csujad-14-20)

Incarcerees watching outdoor musical performance at Manzanar incarceration camp. June 5, 1942. Photo by Francis Stewart. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: HMLSC_TOMO_020

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-14-20/

doc Poston Community Enterprises remodling [remodeling] sale (ddr-csujad-16-1)

Announcement for a "penny sale" held by the manager of Camp 1 Store 3, stating that Community Enterprises is soliciting people's patronage; includes a list of merchandise that customers' extra pennies would buy. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: JAIC_01-14_01

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-16-1/

doc Desert Sentinel, Volume I, No. 4, November 30, 1942 (ddr-csujad-17-5)

School newspaper published at the Gila River incarceration camp. Features and topics include a new superintendent and the choice of "Desert Sentinel" as the name for the school paper; news of campus, sports, and social and holiday events, including the opening of the Butte High School library; items about classes, students and teachers, including a student …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-17-5/

doc Granada Pioneer, Edition 2, Issue 21, January 15, 1944 (ddr-csujad-17-9)

Newspaper published at the Granada incarceration camp. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: JARC_02-07_04

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-17-9/

doc Deserted Senses [spoof title for Desert Sentinel], Vol. I, No. 9, April 1, 1943 (ddr-csujad-17-3)

School newspaper published at the Gila River incarceration camp; this is an April Fools' Day issue with articles and illustrations making fun of life at camp. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: JARC_04-01_03

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-17-3/

doc Granada Pioneer, Edition 2, Issue 20, January 8, 1944 (ddr-csujad-17-8)

Newspaper published at the Granada incarceration camp. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: JARC_02-07_03

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-17-8/

doc Desert Sentinel, Vol. I. No. 15, June 21, 1943 (ddr-csujad-17-1)

School newspaper published at the Gila River incarceration camp. According to an announcement on the back page, publication seeks to make known the War Relocation Authority's "plans and policies," the results of Community Council deliberations, and various regulations and news about life at the Gila River Incarceration Camp. Issue features articles about and by the Camp's …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-17-1/

doc Granada Pioneer, Vol. I, No.5, November 11, 1942 (ddr-csujad-17-6)

Newspaper published at the Granada incarceration camp. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: JARC_02-01_06

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-17-6/

doc Granada Pioneer, Vol. I, No.61, May 1, 1943 (ddr-csujad-17-7)

Newspaper published at the Granada incarceration camp. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: JARC_02-04_01

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-17-7/

doc Desert Sentinel, Vol. I No. 3, December 24, 1942 (ddr-csujad-17-4)

School newspaper published at the Gila River incarceration camp. Features and topics include a constitution and new principal for Butte High School; news of campus, sports, and social and holiday events; items about classes, students and teachers; and short prose and poetry pieces. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-17-4/

doc Desert Sentinel, Vol. I No. 12, May 14, 1943 (ddr-csujad-17-2)

School newspaper published at the Gila River incarceration camp. Features and items include a report on a bond drive and on a "Kampus Karnival"; news about the debate team and about a talent show, as well as about goings-on at Topaz, Utah; Manzanar, California; Echoes, Wyoming; Hunt, Idaho; and Amache, Colorado; and illustrations. See this object …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-17-2/

doc Relocation Communities for Wartime Evacuees, September 1942 (ddr-csujad-19-23)

This paper describes the relocation communities for "the wartime evacuees" from the Pacific Coast. It also talks about the community life and the work opportunities for the incarceress in the different incarceration camps. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: WRA_01-15_01

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-19-23/

img Young former California boy learning to ice skate at Heart Mountain incarceration camp (ddr-csujad-14-58)

Young former California boy learning to ice skate at Heart Mountain incarceration camp. January 10, 1943. Photo by Tom Parker. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: HMLSC_TOMO_f23

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-14-58/