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)

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769 items

img Shigeshi "Shug" Madokoro by farm machinery (ddr-ajah-6-79)

Inscription on front: From a Rough and Ready Islander [?] Shug. Caption below photo: Shigeshi "Shug" Madokoro working the fields, location unknown. He was born in 1914 Alameda, CA. Photo circa 1936

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-6-79/

img Shigeshi "Shug" Madokoro standing in farm field (ddr-ajah-6-80)

Inscription on front: Dear "Anne" / The Same Shug. Caption below photo: Shigeshi "Shug" Madokoro working the fields, location unknown. He was born in 1914 in Alameda, CA. Photo June 1936

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-6-80/

img Sakata Building, Florin, California (ddr-csujad-55-1592)

Black and white photograph depicting the Sakata Building and yard near the Florin Fruit Exchange. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_1594

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-1592/

doc Memo from Glen Hartman, Chief of Agriculture, Heart Mountain Relocation Center, to Mr. K. Ichiro Hoshizaki, April 6, 1944 (ddr-csujad-55-922)

Memorandum of understanding from Glen Hartman to Mr. K. Ichiro Hoshizaki regarding appeal for investigation of Hoshizaki's termination from the "poultry project" at Heart Mountain incarceration camp. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_0924

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-922/

doc Memo from the Hearing Committee, Community Council Office, Heart Mountain, to Mr. Satoru Saijo, April 20, 1944 (ddr-csujad-55-927)

Memorandum of understanding from the Heart Mountain Community Council Hearing Committee to Satoru Saijo regarding the date for an upcoming hearing about the "poultry project" dispute. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_0929

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-927/

doc Instruments filed in the Recorders office (ddr-csujad-55-2010)

List of deeds, reassignments, agreements, contracts, and other articles filed with the county Recorders office, primarily in Merced County, California. Includes instruments for the Yamato Colony. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_2113

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-2010/

Memo from Glen Hartman, Chief of Agriculture, Heart Mountain Relocation Center, to Community Council Agriculture Committee, April 6, 1944 (ddr-csujad-55-924)

doc Memo from Glen Hartman, Chief of Agriculture, Heart Mountain Relocation Center, to Community Council Agriculture Committee, April 6, 1944 (ddr-csujad-55-924)

Memorandum of understanding from Glen Hartman to the Heart Mountain Community Council Agriculture Committee regarding issues related to the "poultry project" and the termination of K. Ichiro Hoshizaki. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_0926

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-924/

doc Supplement to the abstractor, vol. 17, no. 99 (January 19, 1907) (ddr-csujad-55-2000)

News bulletin publishing the transactions in the Office of the Recorder in Merced County, California. Current issue covers partial release of mortgage, deed, and trust deed for the Yamato Colony (also referred to as Livingston Colony purchased by the Japanese American Industrial Corporation) in Merced County. See also sac_jaac_2090 through sac_jaac_2102. See this object in the …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-2000/

doc Notice from the Heart Mountain Community Council, May 2, 1944 (ddr-csujad-55-929)

Notice regarding date and time of the "poultry project" hearing and information for witnesses who wish to testify. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_0931

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-929/

doc Memo from the Hearing Committee, Community Council Office, Heart Mountain, to Mr. Keijiro Hoshizaki, April 20, 1944 (ddr-csujad-55-926)

Memorandum of understanding from the Heart Mountain Community Council Hearing Committee to Keijiro Hoshizaki regarding the date for an upcoming hearing about the "poultry project" dispute. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_0928

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-926/

doc Map of Yamato Colony sections (ddr-csujad-55-1998)

Hand drawn map of the Yamato Colony sections in Merced County, California. See also sac_jaac_2090 through sac_jaac_2102. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_2101

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-1998/

doc Map of produce growing sections in the Yamato Colony (ddr-csujad-55-1999)

Hand drawn map of produce growing sections in the Yamato Colony covering peaches, hay, asparagus, cantaloupe, squash, and cucumber sections. See also sac_jaac_2090 through sac_jaac_2101. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_2102

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-1999/

doc Tri-county irrigation project in south central Nebraska (ddr-csujad-55-97)

Report on the tri-county irrigation project in south central Nebraska including a description of the location, project organization, soils, climate, transportation, markets, housing, schools and churches, and community. Report also includes a description of the types of offers used when appealing to and recruiting incarceree farmers including year-round farm labor, share cropping, co-partnerships, and profit sharing. …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-97/

doc Memo from Keijiro Hoshizaki, Block 12-5-C, Heart Mountain Relocation Center, to Community Council, April 11, 1944 (ddr-csujad-55-925)

Memorandum of understanding from Keijiro Hoshizaki to the Heart Mountain Community Council regarding an investigation into Hoshizaki's termination from the "poultry project" at Heart Mountain incarceration camp. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_0927

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-925/

img Photograph of children on farm (ddr-csujad-55-2616)

A photograph of children on a farm. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_2780

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-2616/

doc Rent receipt for R. Yokoyama's farm (ddr-csujad-55-1298)

Handwritten receipt for R. Yokoyama's farm rent. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_1300

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-1298/

doc Sentinel supplement, series 47 (March 19, 1943) (ddr-csujad-55-1039)

News bulletin for incarcerees covering announcements, events, programs, policies, recreational activities, and jobs at Heart Mountain incarceration camp. Current issue includes information on a survey of farming and automotive equipment (urging "voluntary" sale of incarceree-owned farming equipment to WRA) and paychecks. Includes section in Japanese. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-1039/

img Photograph of family on farm (ddr-csujad-55-2617)

A photograph of family with chicken on a farm. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_2781

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-2617/

doc Affidavits from Heart Mountain poultry farm employees, April 1, 1944 (ddr-csujad-55-923)

Affidavits from poultry farm employees regarding termination of Mr. K. Ichiro Hoshizaki. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_0925

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-923/

doc Notice from Guy Robertson, Project Director, to the residents of Heart Mountain, October 1943 (ddr-csujad-55-674)

Notice from Guy Robertson to incarcerees regarding labor shortage, recruitment, and operations for agricultural laborers at Heart Mountain incarceration camp. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_0676

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-674/

doc General information bulletin (Cody, Wyo.), series 8 (September 11, 1942) (ddr-csujad-55-643)

General information bulletin, series 8, published at the Heart Mountain incarceration camp, Wyoming on September 11, 1942. Bulletin featuring the article "Special Bulletin on Sugar Beet Harvest" at Heart Mountain incarceration camp. Includes recruitment information for incarcerees to harvest sugar beets. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_0645

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-643/

doc Reactions to laborers from relocation centers (ddr-csujad-55-1279)

An article published in "Sociology and social research: an international journal," vol. 29, no. 1 (September/October, 1944). Essay reporting the results of a survey given to employers regarding Japanese farm laborers. Covers wages, types of crops, character traits, quality of the work, and other opinions of the employers towards farm laborers of Japanese ancestry. See this …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-1279/

doc Minutes from Heart Mountain Victory Gardeners' meeting, November 26, 1943 (ddr-csujad-55-672)

Minutes from the Heart Mountain Victory Gardeners' meeting. Includes comments about victory gardens at Heart Mountain incarceration camp including recruitment, criticisms, space, and challenges. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_0674

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-672/

img Florin Fruit Exchange General Merchandise (ddr-csujad-55-2615)

Photograph with the Florin Fruit Exchange General Merchandise building in background. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_2779

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-2615/

doc Proposed plan for agricultural resettlers (ddr-csujad-55-17)

Plan outlining the considerations regarding resettlement of incarceree farmers including farm location, operation, and financing. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_00020

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-17/