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)

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1434 items

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 …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-29-57-1/

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 …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-29-56-1/

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 …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-29-58-1/

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 …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-29-55-1/

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

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-31-2-1/

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

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-31-13-1/

img "At Heart Mountain, Block 27, 1944" (ddr-densho-242-5)

Caption on front: "At Heart Mountain Block 27 1944." Caption by Ike Hatchimonji: "Heart Mountain, Wyoming. Block 27. 1944. Front: Nobue, Gloria, Kumezo. Back: Mike and Ike."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-242-5/

img View of Minidoka (ddr-densho-439-10)

View of Minidoka, possibly including farm land.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-439-10/

img Minidoka military and hospital area overlooking canal (ddr-densho-439-2)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-439-2/

img View of Minidoka (ddr-densho-439-16)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-439-16/

img Castle Rock at Tule Lake (ddr-densho-439-13)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-439-13/

img Minidoka entrance (ddr-densho-439-14)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-439-14/

img Abalone Mountain at Tule Lake (ddr-densho-439-11)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-439-11/

img Minidoka sewage treatment (ddr-densho-439-6)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-439-6/

img Painting of Tule Lake (ddr-densho-439-12)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-439-12/

img Block 17-19 at Minidoka (ddr-densho-439-5)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-439-5/

img View of Minidoka landscape (ddr-densho-439-8)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-439-8/

img Block 15 at Minidoka (ddr-densho-439-3)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-439-3/

img Minidoka sewage treatment (ddr-densho-439-7)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-439-7/

img Minidoka farm (ddr-densho-439-9)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-439-9/

img Minidoka warehouse area (ddr-densho-439-1)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-439-1/

img View of Minidoka (ddr-densho-439-4)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-439-4/

img Minidoka fire station (ddr-densho-439-17)

View of the Minidoka fire station from a guard tower.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-439-17/

doc Manzanar presentation research binder (ddr-densho-450-1)

A binder of documents related to a presentation given by Joh Sekiguchi in 1994. Contains copies of the Inyo Museums News Bulletin, maps of Manzanar, and other research.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-450-1/

doc Letter from Amy Morooka to Violet Sell (ddr-densho-457-31)

Amy Morooka writes to Violet Sell about Violet's health, a visit from First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, upcoming Easter celebrations, and more.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-457-31/