Living conditions

The "assembly centers" were hastily erected quarters located throughout the West Coast at fairgrounds, racetracks and other similar facilities. Conditions at these locations were appalling. People were housed in animal stalls and barracks with communal bathrooms and mess halls. Privacy was next to nonexistent. Most families lived in a 20-by-20-foot room separated from the next "apartment" by wood partitions that did not reach the ceiling. Shortages of food and deplorable sanitation were common. Overcrowding, uncertainty, and stress created tension in the "assembly centers," even as the demoralized camp inmates tried to improve living conditions.

World War II (231)
Temporary Assembly Centers (231)
Living conditions (389)

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389 items

doc Letter from Mrs. L. [Lester] Suzuki to Rev. [Wendell L.] and Mrs. [?] Miller, May 5, 1942 (ddr-csujad-20-4)

Personal letter written from the Santa Anita Assembly Center. Suzuki thanks Reverend Miller and Mrs. Miller for their kindness; mentions friends among the "dear Caucasian ministers such as you"; and discusses the importance of religious services, housing in a new barrack vs. in the stables, making furniture from scrap wood, an impending increase in number of …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-20-4/

doc Postcard from Anna Brooks, 1942 June 8 (ddr-csujad-20-23)

Postcard from Anna Brooks regarding Leila Hofstetter. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: WLM_01-46_12

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-20-23/

doc Letter from L.W., circa 1942 (ddr-csujad-20-25)

A letter from L.W. Addressee is not known. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: WLM_01-44_04

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-20-25/

doc Letter from Henry [Katsumi] Fujita to Mr. H. A. Strong, Electrolux Corporation, August 9, 1942 (ddr-csujad-23-13)

Letter from Henry K. Fujita to his boss Mr. H. A. Strong of the Electrolux Corporation in San Francisco dated August 9, 1942. Rich in details, the letter describes the physical layout of the Merced Assembly Center, the poor-quality construction of the barracks, the daily schedules, the camp organization and facilities, the hardships and illnesses and …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-23-13/

doc Letter from Tsuruno Meguro to Fumio Fred and Yoneko Takano, May 20, 1942 (ddr-csujad-42-44)

A letter from Tsuruno Meguro in the Pomona Assembly Center to her son-in-law and daughter, Fumio Fred and Yoneko Takano in the Santa Anita Assembly Center. In the letter, Tsuruno expresses her disappointment about the result that Fumio and Yoneko were sent to the Santa Anita Assembly Center. She was hoping to reunite at the Pomona …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-42-44/

doc Letter from Kumaji Meguro to Fumio Fred and Yoneko Takano, July 21, 1942, English translation (ddr-csujad-42-57)

English translation of the letter: csudh_tak_0056. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: tak_01_30_001_eng

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-42-57/

doc Letter from Tsuruno Meguro to Fumio Fred and Yoneko Takano, May 20, 1942, English translation (ddr-csujad-42-45)

English translation of the letter: csudh_tak_0044. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: tak_01_26_001_eng

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-42-45/

doc Letter from Tsuruno Meguro to Yoneko Takano, June 1942, Japanese typescript (ddr-csujad-42-52)

Japanese typescript of the letter: csudh_tak_0050. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: tak_01_28_001_jpn

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-42-52/

doc Letter from Tsuruno Meguro to Yoneko Takano, May 30, 1942, English translation (ddr-csujad-42-48)

English translation of the letter: csudh_tak_0047. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: tak_01_27_001_eng

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-42-48/

doc Letter from Kumaji Meguro to Fumio Fred and Yoneko Takano, July 21, 1942 (ddr-csujad-42-56)

A letter from Kumaji Meguro in the Pomona Assembly Center to his son-in-law and daughter, Fumio Fred and Yoneko Takano in the Santa Anita Assembly Center. The letter describes the lives and living conditions in the assembly center, including the allowance and wages, entertainments, etc. Kumaji details his daily routine and expresses his appreciation for the …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-42-56/

doc Letter from Tsuruno Meguro to Yoneko Takano, May 30, 1942 (ddr-csujad-42-47)

A letter from Tsuruno Meguro who writes from the Pomona Assembly Center to her daughter, Yoneko Takano in the Santa Ana Assembly Center. In the letter, she writes about the living conditions in the Pomona Assembly Center. She is grateful for the food served without cooking but complains about a long and unpleasant wait for each …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-42-47/

doc Letter from Tsuruno Meguro to Fumio Fred and Yoneko Takano, July 13, 1942, English translation (ddr-csujad-42-54)

English translation of the letter: csudh_tak_0053. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: tak_01_29_001_eng

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-42-54/

doc Letter from Tsuruno Meguro to Yoneko Takano, June, 1942 (ddr-csujad-42-50)

A letter from Tsuruno Meguro in the Pomona Assembly Center to her daughter, Yoneko Takano in the Santa Anita Assembly Center. In the letter, Tsuruno describes the lives and conditions in the camp, including the hot weather, classes and entertainment, church, allowance and wages, and other incarcerees who she met in the camp. She writes about …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-42-50/

doc Letter from Tsuruno Meguro to Yoneko Takano, June 1942, English translation (ddr-csujad-42-51)

English translation of the letter: csudh_tak_0050. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: tak_01_28_001_eng

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-42-51/

doc Letter from Tsuruno Meguro to Yoneko Takano, May 30, 1942, Japanese typescript (ddr-csujad-42-49)

Japanese typescript of the letter: csudh_tak_0047. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: tak_01_27_001_jpn

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-42-49/

doc Letter from Tsuruno Meguro to Fumio Fred and Yoneko Takano, July 13, 1942, typescript (ddr-csujad-42-55)

Japanese typescript of the letter: csudh_tak_0053. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: tak_01_29_001_jpn

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-42-55/

doc Letter from Tsuruno Meguro to Fumio Fred and Yoneko Takano, May 20, 1942, typescript (ddr-csujad-42-46)

Japanese typescript of the letter: csudh_tak_0044. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: tak_01_26_001_jpn

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-42-46/

doc Letter from Tsuruno Meguro to Fumio Fred and Yoneko Takano, July 13, 1942 (ddr-csujad-42-53)

A letter from Tsuruno Meguro in the Pomona Assembly Center to her son-in-law and daughter, Fumio Fred and Yoneko Takano in the Santa Anita Assembly Center. In the letter, she describes the lives in the assembly center, including her daily routine. English translation is found in item: csudh_tak_0054. Typescript is found in item: csudh_tak_0055. See this …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-42-53/

doc Letter from Kumaji Meguro to Fumio Fred and Yoneko Takano, July 21, 194, typescript (ddr-csujad-42-58)

Japanese typescript of the letter: csudh_tak_0056. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: tak_01_30_001_jpn

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-42-58/

doc Sherman Kishi interview (ddr-csujad-6-13)

Oral history interview with Sherman Kishi. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: SCRC_KISHI_SHERMAN

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-6-13/

doc Dr. Kikuo H. Taira (ddr-csujad-8-70)

Oral history interview with Dr. Kikuo H. Taira. Information on the oral history project is found in: csuf_stp_0012A; Glossary in: csuf_stp_0014. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: FCPL Taira, Dr Kikuo

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-8-70/

doc Dr. George Suda (ddr-csujad-8-65)

Oral history interview with Dr. George Suda. Information on the oral history project is found in: csuf_stp_0012A; Glossary in: csuf_stp_0014. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: FCPL Suda, Dr George

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-8-65/

doc Dr. Fusaji Inada (ddr-csujad-8-26)

Oral history interview with Dr. Fusaji Inada. Information on the oral history project is found in: csuf_stp_0012A; Glossary in: csuf_stp_0014. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: FCPL Inada, Dr Fusaji

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-8-26/

doc Naomi Tagawa (ddr-csujad-8-69)

Oral history interview with Naomi Tagawa. Information on the oral history project is found in: csuf_stp_0012A; Glossary in: csuf_stp_0014. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: FCPL Tagawa, Naomi

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-8-69/

av An Oral History with Lillie Y. McCabe, Part II (ddr-csujad-29-17)

An oral history with Lillie Y. McCabe, an incarceree at the Santa Anita Temporary Assembly Center and the Granada (Amache) incarceration camp. This interview was conducted for the Japanese American Oral History Project by California State University, Fullerton. The interview covers the Anglo reverends and ministers who helped her while she was incarcerated at Amache, how …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-29-17/