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Social and recreational activities

Despite deplorable living conditions at the "assembly centers," camp inmates tried to make the best of it by organizing various social and recreational activities. Japanese Americans participated in dances and musical groups; sports and gardening were also popular.

World War II (54)
Temporary Assembly Centers (88)
Social and recreational activities (25)

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25 items

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 ...

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

img Group playing Monopoly (ddr-densho-36-38)

Japanese Americans did their best to lead normal lives in the Puyallup Assembly Center. They cultivated gardens, engaged in different types of activities, and played games such as Monopoly.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-36-38/

img Group playing Ping-Pong (ddr-densho-36-37)

Japanese Americans made every effort to lead normal lives in the Puyallup Assembly Center. They cultivated gardens, engaged in different types of activities, and played games such as ping-pong.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-36-37/

img Japanese American gardening (ddr-densho-36-35)

Japanese Americans tried hard to make life at the assembly center bearable. Here, a camp inmate tends to a garden.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-36-35/

doc Postcard to Molly Wilson from Haruko Nagahiro (May 20, 1942) (ddr-janm-1-53)

Postcard to Molly Wilson from Haruko Nagahiro (May 20, 1942). It is postmarked May 20, 1942 from the Pomona Assembly Center in Pomona, California.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-janm-1-53/

doc Letter (with envelope) to Molly Wilson from June Yoshigai (May 30, 1942) (ddr-janm-1-84)

Handwritten letter to Molly Wilson from June Yoshigai (May 30, 1942). Envelope is postmarked but does not give a date from Chicago, Illinois.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-janm-1-84/

doc Letter (with envelope) to Molly Wilson from June Yoshigai (June 26, 1942) (ddr-janm-1-85)

Handwritten letter to Molly Wilson from June Yoshigai (June 26, 1942). Envelope is postmarked June 29, 1942 from the Santa Anita Assembly Center in Arcadia, California.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-janm-1-85/

img Young Japanese Americans gathering outside barracks (ddr-densho-151-253)

Original caption: Stockton, California. Young persons of Japanese ancestry, second and third generation Americans. They have been in camp about a week, where there is little for them to do as yet. The sun is very hot. The oldest of these boys has been studying this morning. The book that he carries is a text on ...

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-253/

img Japanese Americans playing basketball (ddr-densho-151-464)

Original caption: San Bruno, California. Evacuee boys in the foreground are playing basket-ball. This is one of eight recreation centers which are distributed about the assembly center. One of the barrack buildings is, in each case, set apart for games and recreation under the Recreation program administered by a Wartime Civil Control Administration official with college ...

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-464/

img Japanese Americans carving wood (ddr-densho-151-338)

Original caption: San Bruno, California. Father and son while away the hours carving small wooden animals for the children in front of their home in the barracks. They have been living at the Assembly center for approximately two weeks.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-338/

img Japanese Americans working in garden (ddr-densho-151-340)

Original caption: San Bruno, California. Mrs. Fujita and her neighbor inspecting the tiny vegetable garden she has planted in front of their barracks.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-340/

doc Letter from George K. Sakai, 1942 May 4 (ddr-csujad-20-14)

Letter from George Sakai to United Methodist Church regarding address information for a mutual friend. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: WLM_01-46_13

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

doc Letter from the Suzuki's to Rev. and Mrs. Miller, circa 1942 (ddr-csujad-20-13)

Letter from the Suzuki's to Rev. and Mrs. Miller regarding recent happenings at the Santa Anita Assembly Center. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: WLM_01-46_14

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-20-13/

doc Letter from Lester Suzuki to Brother [Wendell L.] Miller, May 4, 1942 (ddr-csujad-20-3)

Personal letter written from the Santa Anita Temporary Assembly Center and describing early days there, including lack of regular work and schooling schedules and of appropriate food for children; scouts and boys' clubs being in development; religious services on Sundays attracting nearly 2000 people; and the need to wait for community facilities such as laundry and ...

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-20-3/

vh Norman I. Hirose Interview Segment 15 (ddr-densho-1013-7-15)

Social activities in camp: Fourth of July celebration, talent shows

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1013-7-15/

vh Bob Fuchigami Interview Segment 16 (ddr-manz-1-28-16)

Recreational activities and sports in camp

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-manz-1-28-16/

vh Frank Yamasaki Interview I Segment 17 (ddr-densho-1000-107-17)

Memories of assembly center: dances, friends

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-107-17/

vh Cookie Takeshita Segment 13 (ddr-densho-1000-465-13)

A close group of friends in camp

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-465-13/

vh Hal Keimi Segment 6 (ddr-densho-1000-458-6)

Activities at Santa Anita: sports and talent shows

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-458-6/

vh Mary Hirata Segment 15 (ddr-densho-1000-22-15)

Activities of the younger children in the Puyallup Assembly Center

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-22-15/

vh Elsie Uyematsu Osajima Segment 8 (ddr-densho-1000-451-8)

Passing the time at the Tulare Assembly Center: organizing a carnival

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-451-8/

vh Ed Tsutakawa Interview Segment 16 (ddr-densho-1000-196-16)

Activities at Puyallup Assembly Center: making signs

This interview was conducted as part of a project to capture stories of the Japanese American community of Spokane, Washington. Densho worked in collaboration with the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-196-16/