Agriculture

Many Issei (first-generation Japanese immigrants) began as sharecroppers. Others sought to buy land, but the Issei had to overcome obstacles preventing them from competing with white farmers. California and other states passed alien land laws prohibiting Asian immigrants from purchasing or leasing agricultural land. There were ways around the discriminatory laws: an Issei father could put the property in the name of his American-born child, or issei could form corporations in which a majority of the shareholders were American citizens. Despite the alien land laws, Issei farmers played a significant role in West Coast agriculture. In the years just prior to World War II, Japanese American families grew 35 percent of the produce in California. By the 1920s, Japanese Americans supplied 75 percent of the produce and half the milk to the Puget Sound region.

Industry and employment (481)
Agriculture (769)

Related articles from the Densho Encyclopedia :
Seabrook Farms

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769 items

img Horse and buggy (ddr-densho-357-35)

A horse and buggy drive down a dirt road in rural farmland.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-357-35/

img Tractors (ddr-one-1-452)

Color slide of two parked John Deere tractors in a field, appears to be an old John Deere 1940s model M and a newer 1950s Model A with a fork loader attached to the front. According to donor processed on June 20, 1951. For black and white negative please see ONLC 4821, for black and white …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-452/

img Frank on a tractor (ddr-one-1-574)

Black and white photographic negative of Frank Hirahara sitting on an old tractor at a farm.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-574/

img Group of 5 farmers digging (ddr-densho-468-443)

Black and white photo of a group of men and women digging in a field.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-468-443/

img People in field (ddr-densho-468-444)

Black and white photo of a group of people posing in a field. Caption on album page: "And eat 'em too" written in white pencil.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-468-444/

img A man sits on agricultural machinery (ddr-densho-480-14)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-480-14/

img Man stands in front of workers and farming equipment (ddr-densho-480-64)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-480-64/

doc Tally of Japanese American farmers and acreage leased and owned (ddr-ajah-7-17)

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

doc Letter from Harry Kondo to Pete Aiello, Greco Canning Co. (ddr-ajah-7-12)

Enclosing contract for sale of tomato plants

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-7-12/

doc Tally of Japanese American farmers and acreage leased and owned (ddr-ajah-7-18)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-7-18/

doc Tally of Japanese American farmers and acreage leased and owned (ddr-ajah-7-2)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-7-2/

doc Tally of farms managed by Japanese Aliens (ddr-ajah-7-3)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-7-3/

doc Summary of farm acreage owned or farmed by Japanese Americans or Alien Japanese (ddr-ajah-7-5)

Covering Washington township, Eden Township and Alameda County for 1941-1942

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-7-5/

doc Short story: "The outcast" / "The alien within" (ddr-densho-468-68)

Four typed drafts. First draft describes a Japanese American girl in the mid-20th century. Second, third, and fourth drafts describe incarceration. The story's name changes from "The outcast" to "The alien within" between drafts 2 and 3. Final draft has perspective shift from third-person narrator to first-person.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-468-68/

doc Photo album -- black leather cover with sailboat (ddr-densho-468-324)

black album-- see measurement pdf for photo dimensions

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-468-324/

img People digging potatoes (ddr-densho-468-442)

Black and white photo of a group of men and women digging in a field. Caption on album page: "Dig dem potatoes--" written in white pencil.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-468-442/

img Sugar cane crop (ddr-densho-492-58)

Written on the back is "#288 Waiakeu Rm. Sugar cane in blossom" in pencil.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-492-58/

img Man using a tool in a field (ddr-densho-471-191)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-471-191/

img Men working in a field (ddr-densho-471-184)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-471-184/

img Two men working (ddr-densho-471-186)

Two men working in a field. They hold tools while smiling at the camera.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-471-186/

img Man working in a field (ddr-densho-471-189)

A man uses a tool to work in a field. He holds a cigar in his mouth.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-471-189/

img Two men using tools in a field (ddr-densho-471-190)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-471-190/

img Cart (ddr-one-1-632)

Black and white photographic negative of a cart with dirt covering the wheels.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-632/

img Welding (ddr-one-1-442)

Color slide of an unidentified man wearing a welding helmet and holding tools. Appears to be working on repairing a piece of machinery. According to donor processed on June 20, 1951.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-442/

doc Report on Rohwer Relocation Planning Commission trip to Rio Grande Valley (ddr-densho-379-240)

Chimata Sumida puts forward to the Rohwer community that the Lower Rio Grande Valley would be a good place for resettlement especially for Japanese Americans interested in farming.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-379-240/