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

doc Chapter 6 and 7 personality cards (ddr-csujad-26-34)

Journal entries written by high school students discussing their observations and perspectives on a variety of topics including living in barracks, block noise, lack of privacy, mess hall dining, nosy neighbors, jobs, leisure time, sports, movies, church attendance, the Young Buddhist Association (YBA), family dynamics, social changes, dating, and rumors. Each entry includes the full date …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-26-34/

img Cooperatively owned canteen (ddr-csujad-26-130)

Photo of people working and shopping inside a canteen. Goods are seen divided by type. Verso reads "cooperatively owned canteen." From photo album of Robert Billigmeier. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: mei_05_100

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-26-130/

img Departure for resettlement in the East (ddr-csujad-26-68)

A large crowd of Japanese American incarcerees gather around packed vehicle with trailer. Caption on back of photograph reads, "Departure for resettlement in the East." From photo album of Robert Billigmeier. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: mei_05_005

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-26-68/

img View of the camp showing Castle Rock (ddr-csujad-26-102)

Photo of camp buildings and road down the middle backed by hilly landscape. Caption on back of photo reads, "View of the camp showing Castle Rock. A Nisei objected to this picture because the daisies in the corner relieve the dusty monotony of the camp." From photo album of Robert Billigmeier. See this object in the …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-26-102/

img Nobie Masaki (ddr-csujad-26-140)

Photo of a young Japanese American woman posing in front of a barracks buildings. Handwriting on the photo reads, "Dear Mrs. Billigmeier, Always, Nobie Masaki." From photo album of Robert Billigmeier. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: mei_05_110

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-26-140/

doc Population and ecology (ddr-csujad-26-24)

Comparison of Tule Lake incarceree population statistics collected by the Division of Housing and Employment to the 1940 US Census statistics of Japanese Americans from California, Oregon and Washington. Examines how expelled communities disbursed at Tule Lake via housing records, age and gender distribution, religious affiliation, and the number of births at Tule Lake up to …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-26-24/

img Wedding of Oliver Noji [and Kiyo Aiura] (ddr-csujad-26-118)

Oliver Noji marries Kiyo Aiura at Tule Lake. Caption on back of photo reads, " Wedding of Oliver Noji (architecture). The bride is radiant, Oliver looks anxious, as well he might - look whose shoes he has to fill." From photo album of Robert Billigmeier. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-26-118/

img Landscape with barracks building (ddr-csujad-26-121)

Photo of the desert landscape with a portion of a barracks building. Leftover wood crates are stacked next to the building while the camp border fence can be sen in the distance. From photo album of Robert Billigmeier. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: mei_05_090

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-26-121/

img Visiting newspaper men interview the charming Mrs. Murayama (ddr-csujad-26-126)

Photo shows a woman, Mrs. Murayama, being photographed while holding an object for a man. Verso reads, "visiting newspaper men interview the charming Mrs. Murayama - but what the editors did to their stories." From photo album of Robert Billigmeier. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: mei_05_095

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-26-126/

img Three men and chickens (ddr-csujad-26-132)

Photo of three Japanese American men in front of a chicken coop with chickens. From photo album of Robert Billigmeier. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: mei_05_102

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-26-132/

img Young women (ddr-csujad-26-142)

Four young Japanese American women pose with a Caucasian woman in front of an automobile. Barracks building is in the background. From photo album of Robert Billigmeier. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: mei_05_112

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-26-142/

img Group of women at Minidoka incarceration camp (ddr-csujad-32-12)

Group photograph of women, one is Japanese American and others are Caucasian (possibly teachers), at the Minidoka incarceration camp. Some of them are holding a bouquet of flowers. This photo is featured on page 6 of the Minidoka Incarceration Camp Photograph Album (csudh_ben_001). See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-32-12/

img Group of male children on barrack stairs (ddr-csujad-32-18)

Group photograph of male children standing on the stairs of Minidoka incarceration camp barrack. Photo featured on page 8 of the Minidoka Incarceration Camp Photograph Album (csudh_ben_001). See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: ben_01_001_009_028

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-32-18/

img Minidoka incarceration camp barracks (ddr-csujad-32-6)

Photograph of camp barracks at the Minidoka incarceration camp. Photo featured on page 4 of the Minidoka Incarceration Camp Photograph Album (csudh_ben_001). See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: ben_01_001_005_014

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-32-6/

img Minidoka incarceration camp barracks (ddr-csujad-32-9)

Photograph of camp barracks in snow at the Minidoka incarceration camp. Photo featured on page 5 of the Minidoka Incarceration Camp Photograph Album (csudh_ben_001). See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: ben_01_001_006_018

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-32-9/

img Minidoka incarceration camp building (ddr-csujad-32-3)

Photograph of a building at the Minidoka incarceration camp. Photo featured on page 4 of the Minidoka Incarceration Camp Photograph Album (csudh_ben_001). See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: ben_01_001_005_011

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-32-3/

img Women in snow (ddr-csujad-32-10)

Photograph of three women in the snow at the Minidoka incarceration camp. Trucks and other camp buildings can be seen in the background. Photo featured on page 5 of Minidoka Incarceration Camp Photograph Album (csudh_ben_001). See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: ben_01_001_006_019

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-32-10/

img Group of children with Ben Kuroki (ddr-csujad-32-22)

Group photograph of children with Ben Kuroki in military uniform at the Minidoka incarceration camp. Photo featured on page 9 of the Minidoka Incarceration Camp Photograph Album (csudh_ben_001). See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: ben_01_001_010_033

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-32-22/

img Boy standing on barrack stairs (ddr-csujad-32-20)

Photograph of a boy standing on the stairs of barrack C-D at the Minidoka incarceration camp. Another child is pictured standing off to the side. Photo featured on page 8 of the Minidoka Incarceration Camp Photograph Album (csudh_ben_001). See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: ben_01_001_009_030

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-32-20/

img Children sitting in front of floral background (ddr-csujad-32-16)

Photograph of two children with a floral background behind them, most likely for a play or event at the Minidoka incarceration camp. Photo featured on page 7 of the Minidoka Incarceration Camp Photograph Album (csudh_ben_001). See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: ben_01_001_008_026

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-32-16/

img Group of women at Minidoka incarceration camp (ddr-csujad-32-13)

Group photograph of Caucasian women, possibly teachers, at the Minidoka incarceration camp. Some of them are holding a bouquet of flowers. This photo is featured on page 6 of the Minidoka Incarceration Camp Photograph Album (csudh_ben_001). See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: ben_01_001_007_022

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-32-13/

img Minidoka incarceration camp fence (ddr-csujad-32-4)

Photograph of a fence around the Minidoka incarceration camp. Photo featured on page 4 of the Minidoka Incarceration Camp Photograph Album (csudh_ben_001). See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: ben_01_001_005_012

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-32-4/

img Group of children at Minidoka incarceration camp (ddr-csujad-32-14)

Group photograph of children at the Minidoka incarceration camp. Photo featured on page 7 of the Minidoka Incarceration Camp Photograph Album (csudh_ben_001). See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: ben_01_001_008_024

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-32-14/

img Group of male children on barrack stairs (ddr-csujad-32-19)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-32-19/

img Minidoka incarceration camp photograph album (ddr-csujad-32-1)

The photograph album contains 69 photographs from mostly the Minidoka incarceration camp. It may have been compiled by Lona Haug, vice-principal of the Blk 10 school at the Minidoka incarceration camp in 1943. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: ben_01_001

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-32-1/