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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 (54)
Temporary Assembly Centers (88)
Living conditions (280)

Gallery view
List view

280 items

vh Seichi Hayashida Segment 20 (ddr-densho-1000-14-20)

Description of mess halls, lavatories, laundry building

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-14-20/

vh Ike Hatchimonji Interview Segment 9 (ddr-densho-1000-381-9)

First impressions of camp: "it was quite a disappointment"

This material is based upon work assisted by a grant from the Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Any opinions, finding, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of the ...

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-381-9/

vh Rudy Tokiwa Interview II Segment 16 (ddr-densho-1000-92-16)

Learning to cook in the Salinas Assembly Center, California

This interview was conducted at the 1998 Americans of Japanese Ancestry Veterans National Convention, held in Honolulu, Hawaii.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-92-16/

vh Giro Nakagawa Interview Segment 13 (ddr-densho-1000-422-13)

Feeling angry after being removed to Pinedale assembly center

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-422-13/

vh May K. Sasaki Segment 14 (ddr-densho-1000-79-14)

Animal smells and painful inoculations: childhood memories of Puyallup Assembly Center

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-79-14/

vh Shosuke Sasaki Segment 14 (ddr-densho-1000-78-14)

Memories of Puyallup Assembly Center: a "sea of mud" and a sobbing woman

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-78-14/

vh Fumiko Hayashida Segment 21 (ddr-densho-1000-15-21)

Arrival at Manzanar concentration camp, stuffing mattresses

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-15-21/

vh Yosh Nakagawa Interview Segment 17 (ddr-densho-1000-172-17)

Memories of Puyallup Assembly Center as a child: having fun, selling newspapers

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-172-17/

vh Hank Shozo Umemoto Interview Segment 17 (ddr-densho-1000-294-17)

Living conditions in camp: better than farm at home

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-294-17/

vh Lucius Horiuchi Interview Segment 7 (ddr-densho-1000-202-7)

Memories of the Puyallup Assembly Center: receiving visitors

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-202-7/

vh Tokio Hirotaka - Toshio Ito - Joe Matsuzawa Segment 23 (ddr-densho-1000-23-23)

Pinedale Assembly Center, California: "Dry, hot, dusty, and dirty"

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-23-23/

vh Sue Takimoto Okabe Segment 5 (ddr-densho-1000-74-5)

Puyallup Assembly Center, mother struggles to adjust, and teenagers learn the latest dances

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-74-5/

vh Marian Asao Kurosu Interview Segment 50 (ddr-densho-1000-118-50)

Trip to Pinedale Assembly Center, California; heat and dehydration

During this interview, Mrs. Kurosu alternately speaks in both English and Japanese. As a result, the English translation of the transcript contains [Jpn.] and [Eng.], which indicate whether the original dialogue was spoken in Japanese or English.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-118-50/