Concentration camps

The War Relocation Authority (WRA) oversaw construction of ten concentration camps in sparsely populated and isolated areas. Between June and October 1942, Japanese Americans were transferred from the "assembly centers" to the larger camps. Housing approximately 120,000 people, the camps were designed to be self-contained communities, complete with hospitals, post offices, schools, warehouses, and residential areas. The WRA attempted to establish normalcy by setting up newspapers, a degree of self-government, sports leagues, and social events. But confinement, monotony, and harsh conditions exacerbated tensions between pro- and anti-camp administration residents and between the disempowered Issei and their U.S.-born Nisei children. At several centers, conflicts erupted into violence and at the Manzanar concentration camp the unrest resulted in fatal shootings. The WRA gradually granted work and school leave to those they considered "loyal." The last camp closed in March 1946.

World War II (231)
Concentration camps (1434)

Related articles from the Densho Encyclopedia :
Concentration Camps, U.S.A. (book), Gila River, Heart Mountain, Jerome, Manzanar, Minidoka, Poston (Colorado River), Psychological effects of camp, Rohwer, Sites of incarceration, Topaz, Tule Lake

Facilities
Format
Genre
Usage

Use <Ctrl> or (⌘) keys to select multiple terms

1434 items
An Oral History with Mitsuhiko H. Shimizu - Segment 1 (ddr-csujad-29-57-1)
vh An Oral History with Mitsuhiko H. Shimizu - Segment 1 (ddr-csujad-29-57-1)
Issei community leader and businessman in Los Angeles's Little Tokyo recounts his arrest by Federal Bureau of Investigation after Pearl Harbor, his experiences in internment camps in North Dakota and Louisiana, and the Manzanar incarceration camp, California. This oral history was conducted for the Japanese American Oral History Project, Oral History Program, CSU Fullerton. Translated into …
An Oral History with Katsuma Mukaeda - Segment 1 (ddr-csujad-29-56-1)
vh An Oral History with Katsuma Mukaeda - Segment 1 (ddr-csujad-29-56-1)
Chairman of Japanese American Cultural Center and former president of Japanese Chamber of Commerce recounts conditions of prewar Los Angeles's Little Tokyo, its wartime conversion into a black community, postwar reestablishment as a Japanese-American cultural and commercial center. Includes comments on discriminatory legislation, prewar Japan-American relations. World War II removal and incarceration, camp conditions, wartime repatriation …
An Oral History with Reverend Seytsu Takahashi - Segment 1 (ddr-csujad-29-58-1)
vh An Oral History with Reverend Seytsu Takahashi - Segment 1 (ddr-csujad-29-58-1)
Issei Buddhist bishop and superintendent of Kayasan Temple in Little Tokyo since 1931 recounts his wartime experiences and internment at Fort Missoula, Montana; Livingstone, Louisiana; and Crystal City, Texas. Transcribed in both Japanese and English. This oral history was conducted for the Japanese American Oral History Project, Oral History Program, CSU Fullerton. Audio is found in …
An Oral History with Norman Y. Mineta - Segment 1 (ddr-csujad-29-55-1)
vh An Oral History with Norman Y. Mineta - Segment 1 (ddr-csujad-29-55-1)
Japanese American congressman, representing the Thirteenth Congressional District of California, born and raised in San Jose, California, discusses his early life, graduation from the University of California, Berkeley, and receiving a commission and serving in the armed forces from 1953-1956. Recalls the removal, "relocation," and incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II at the Heart …
Frank Emi oral history interview - Segment 1 (ddr-csujad-31-2-1)
vh Frank Emi oral history interview - Segment 1 (ddr-csujad-31-2-1)
Oral history of Frank Emi, recorded as part of Asian American Studies 390, California State University, Northridge. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: JSFVOH_01-01
Bo Sakaguchi oral history interview - Segment 1 (ddr-csujad-31-13-1)
vh Bo Sakaguchi oral history interview - Segment 1 (ddr-csujad-31-13-1)
Oral history of Bo Sakaguchi, recorded as part of Asian American Studies 390, California State University, Northridge. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: JSFVOH_01-16
Gila River, blk 16 (ddr-csujad-11-187)
img Gila River, blk 16 (ddr-csujad-11-187)
A group photo taken at the Gila River incarceration camp, Arizona. Photographed are incarcerees in block 16. From page 70 of: Tazu Kawamoto photo album (csudh_taz_0001). See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: taz_01_70_002
Tazu Kawamoto with her friend (ddr-csujad-11-193)
img Tazu Kawamoto with her friend (ddr-csujad-11-193)
A photograph of Tazu Kawamoto posing with a friend. This photograph appears to be taken inside the Gila River incarceration camp. From page 75 of: Tazu Kawamoto photo album (csudh_taz_0001). See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: taz_01_75_001
Tazu and Chisano Kawamoto (ddr-csujad-11-199)
img Tazu and Chisano Kawamoto (ddr-csujad-11-199)
Photographed are Tazu Kawamoto posing with another woman, perhaps her mother, Chisano Kawamoto. This photograph might have been taken at the Gila River incarceration camp, Arizona. From page 80 of: Tazu Kawamoto photo album (csudh_taz_0001). See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: taz_01_80_001
Gila River (ddr-csujad-11-185)
img Gila River (ddr-csujad-11-185)
A group photo taken at the Gila River incarceration camp, Arizona. Includes Tazu Kawamoto. From page 69 of: Tazu Kawamoto photo album (csudh_taz_0001). See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: taz_01_69_002
Tazu Kawamoto and friend (ddr-csujad-11-191)
img Tazu Kawamoto and friend (ddr-csujad-11-191)
A photograph of Tazu Kawamoto sitting in the grass with another friend. This photograph appears to be taken inside the Gila River incarceration camp. From page 74 of: Tazu Kawamoto photo album (csudh_taz_0001). See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: taz_01_74_001
Tazu Kawamoto (ddr-csujad-11-189)
img Tazu Kawamoto (ddr-csujad-11-189)
Tazu Kawamoto is photographed sitting in the sun. This photo might have been taken at the Gila River incarceration camp. From page 72 of: Tazu Kawamoto photo album (csudh_taz_0001). See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: taz_01_72_001
Tazu Kawamoto (ddr-csujad-11-192)
img Tazu Kawamoto (ddr-csujad-11-192)
A photograph of Tazu Kawamoto with her friends. This photograph appears to be taken inside the Gila River incarceration camp. From page 75 of: Tazu Kawamoto photo album (csudh_taz_0001). See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: taz_01_75_001
Gila River (ddr-csujad-11-184)
img Gila River (ddr-csujad-11-184)
A group photo taken at the Gila River incarceration camp, Arizona. Includes Tazu Kawamoto. From page 69 of: Tazu Kawamoto photo album (csudh_taz_0001). See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: taz_01_69_001
Group of women (ddr-csujad-11-198)
img Group of women (ddr-csujad-11-198)
A photograph of a group of women, including Tazu Kawamoto. It is probably taken in the Gila River incarceration camp, Arizona. From page 79 of: Tazu Kawamoto photo album (csudh_taz_0001). See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: taz_01_79_001
Gila River, blk 16 (ddr-csujad-11-186)
img Gila River, blk 16 (ddr-csujad-11-186)
A group photo taken at the Gila River incarceration camp, Arizona. Photographed are incarcerees in block 16. From page 70 of: Tazu Kawamoto photo album (csudh_taz_0001). See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: taz_01_70_001
Cross (ddr-csujad-13-7)
img Cross (ddr-csujad-13-7)
A Christian cross is pictured on top of a hillside. The caption on back of photograph reads, "Cross erected by Christian Japs at highest peak in Nov 43 E camp in foreground." See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: tul_01_01_002
Man on the Lookout (ddr-csujad-13-12)
img Man on the Lookout (ddr-csujad-13-12)
A soldier sits in a rock formation with binoculars. Caption on back of photograph reads, "H.J.W. lying in cave of highest peak overlooking Camp Tulelake glancing [through] glasses pointed toward Jap camp." See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: tul_01_01_007
Group Poses Next to Cross (ddr-csujad-13-23)
img Group Poses Next to Cross (ddr-csujad-13-23)
A group of unidentified men pose together next to what appears to be a religious cross. The caption on front of photograph reads, "Tullelake." The men are most likely guards or soldiers stationed at the Tule Lake incarceration camp. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: tul_01_01_018
Men Posing Together (ddr-csujad-13-21)
img Men Posing Together (ddr-csujad-13-21)
A group of men, most likely soldiers, pose together. The caption on front of photograph reads, "On way to Tullelake Nov 43." See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: tul_01_01_016
Man in Winter (ddr-csujad-13-32)
img Man in Winter (ddr-csujad-13-32)
A man stands in front of a building holding some sort of cloth. The caption on front of photograph reads, "Cover the Doorway." The caption on back of photograph reads, "Pte Babbs 2/1/43." See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: tul_01_01_027
Housing Barracks (ddr-csujad-13-19)
img Housing Barracks (ddr-csujad-13-19)
A distant view of housing barracks inside Tulelake with a handwritten caption at the bottom of the photograph that reads, "Jap quarters Tulelake." See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: tul_01_01_014
Inscription on a Hill (ddr-csujad-13-8)
img Inscription on a Hill (ddr-csujad-13-8)
An inscription was placed on a mountain side that reads, "1943 Aug. 31 Katsumi Sato, Tsutomu Matsumoto, Masato Nakashima, Kiyoshi Fukumitsu Paint Crew." Caption on back of photograph reads, "inscription at top of highest peak by Japs during Christian gathering in Aug 43. Japs inscription is only date of gathering." See this object in the California …
Landscape (ddr-csujad-13-5)
img Landscape (ddr-csujad-13-5)
A landscape photograph depicts the area surrounding the Tule Lake incarceration camp. The caption on back of photograph reads, "View from hill tops and surrounding Tulelake Camp in Calif. (43)." See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: tul_01_01_032
Incarcerees of Tule Lake (ddr-csujad-13-16)
img Incarcerees of Tule Lake (ddr-csujad-13-16)
The photograph depicts people walking in the distance towards some structures in the Tule Lake incarceration camp. The caption on back of photograph reads, "Japs just about to enter stockade under guard." See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: tul_01_01_011
API