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)

Filters

Facilities

Format

Genre

Usage

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

Gallery view
List view

1434 items

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

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-11-191/

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

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-11-189/

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

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-11-192/

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

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-11-184/

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

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-11-198/

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

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-11-186/

img Goerge Naohara at the Manzanar camp (ddr-csujad-38-22)

Photographed is George Nobuo Naohara posing at the Manzanar incarceration camp in California. The caption reads: Where I got in to: George Naohara age at 20. The photo was taken when I moved into the Manzanar incarceration camp. I was alone and felt lonely with no friends. [In Japanese]. A photo from "George Naohara photo album" …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-38-22/

img Thomas and Terada families (ddr-csujad-4-30)

A photograph of the Thomas and Terada families taken during their visit of the exhibition, "And then they came for us...: marking the 75th anniversary of Executive Order 9066 authorizing the mass incarceration of Japanese-American citizens during WWII." Photographed are Laura Thomas, Emiko Amy Terada, Nancy Terada, and James H. Osborne. It is taken at CSU …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-4-30/

doc Letter from [Emiko Amy Terada] to Laura Thomas, September 13, 1943 (ddr-csujad-4-17)

A letter to Laura Thomas, Lawndale, California. The letter was probably written by Emiko Amy Terada, an incarceree at the Rohwer incarceration camp, and enclosed in the same envelope along with the letter written by Usami Terada, which can be found at: csudh_nis_0017. The letter contains basic correspondence between the two individuals, talking about family members, …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-4-17/

doc Letter from Usami Terada to Mr. and Mrs. A.W. Thomas, October 3, 1943 (ddr-csujad-4-18)

A letter from Usami Terada, an incarceree at the Rohwer incarceration camp, to Mr. and Mrs. A.W. Thomas in Lawndale, California. The letter discusses the Japanese American incarcerees returning to California and the West Coast. He describes the returning people as "half bred or wife of Caucasian" and a female attending Pasadena Junior College. He expresses …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-4-18/

doc Letter from Usami Terada to Mr. and Mrs. A.W. Thomas, September 17, 1943 (ddr-csujad-4-16)

A letter from Usami Terada, an incarceree in the Rohwer incarceration camp, to Mr. and Mrs. A. W. Thomas in Lawndale, California. It is a condolence letter for their family members' passing. This letter also includes updates on: the weather in Arkansas, Usami's garden in the camp, and his younger brother, "Tsuyoshi." This letter is enclosed …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-4-16/

doc Letter from Emiko [Amy] Terada to Miss Laura Thomas, August 30, 1942 (ddr-csujad-4-12)

A letter from Emiko [Amy] Terada, an incarceree at the Rohwer incarceration camp, to Miss Laura Thomas. The letter contains basic correspondence between the two individuals, talking about family members, the weather, and school. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nis_06_013

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-4-12/

doc General information, [Rohwer] (ddr-csujad-4-14)

Documents mailed by the Terada family from the Rohwer incarceration camp in McGehee, Arkansas, to Mr. A. W. Thomas on July 13, 1943. The documents include general information and regulations written by Ray D. Johnston, Project Director at the Rohwer incarceration camp. Also included is a schematic of the Rohwer camp, with marginalia. See this object …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-4-14/

doc Letter from Emiko [Amy] Terada to Miss Laura Thomas, March 16, 1944 (ddr-csujad-4-19)

A letter from Emiko Amy Terada, an incarceree at the Rohwer incarceration camp, to Miss Laura Thomas in Lawndale, California. In the letter, she talks about school and wishes that she could go back to Lawndale school. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nis_06_021

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-4-19/

img [Opening reception and preview flyer for Camp Jerome special exhibit] (ddr-csujad-4-24)

A flyer for a special exhibition featuring photographs of the Jerome incarceration camp and a scale replica of a similar camp. The flyer is an invitation for the opening reception and a preview of the exhibition. The photograph on the front of the flyer features three little boys at the Jerome incarceration camp and their names …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-4-24/

img Thomas and Terada families (ddr-csujad-4-31)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-4-31/

doc Postcard from [Emiko] Amy Terada to Miss Laura Thomas, January 12, 1942 (ddr-csujad-4-3)

A postcard sent from Emiko Amy Terada, an incarceree at the Rohwer incarceration camp, to Miss Laura Thomas, at a P.O. Box address in Lawndale, California. The postcard was postmarked in McGehee, Arkansas. It is an acknowledgement letter in which Emiko thanks Laura for sending a package to her. In the letter, she also mentions that …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-4-3/

doc Handwritten notes with grammatical phrases and daily notes (ddr-csujad-40-8)

Handwritten notes with grammatical phrases, daily notes, and phrases in English and Japanese. There are also letter drafts included in the handwritten notes, with one dated May 16, 1942. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: roy_01_09_001

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-40-8/

img Sumi family (ddr-csujad-41-1)

Photograph of the Sumi family at Rock Garden/Block 34 at the Manzanar incarceration camp. Pictured is Lillian Tsutako, Takako, Sen'ichi, Yoichi, and a friend. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sum_01_06_001

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-41-1/

Letter to Joseph B. Howerton, Assistant Chief for Reference, Industrial and Social Branch, Civil Archives Division, National Archives and Records Service, General Services Administration (ddr-csujad-42-143)

doc Letter to Joseph B. Howerton, Assistant Chief for Reference, Industrial and Social Branch, Civil Archives Division, National Archives and Records Service, General Services Administration (ddr-csujad-42-143)

A draft of a letter addressing National Archives and Records Service to request verification of the dates of incarceration and release. It appears to be a letter template in which a requester can fill out her/his information. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: tak_01_77_001

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-42-143/

Letter from Robert K. Bratt, Administrator for Redress, Office of Redress Administration, Civil Rights Division, U.S. Department of Justice to recipient (ddr-csujad-42-153)

doc Letter from Robert K. Bratt, Administrator for Redress, Office of Redress Administration, Civil Rights Division, U.S. Department of Justice to recipient (ddr-csujad-42-153)

A copy of a letter from Robert K. Bratt, Administrator for Redress, Office of Redress Administration, Civil Rights Division, United States Department of Justice, addressing a recipient, who is presumably Yoneko or Mariko Takano. It notifies that their review of the documents has been completed and determined that the requester is eligible for a redress payment …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-42-153/

doc George Naohara's handwritten annotations (ddr-csujad-38-162)

English summary of handwritten annotations from "George Naohara photo album" (csudh_nao_0001), page 11: George Nobuo Naohara describes Kazumasa Sasaki who married to his cousin, Yoshiye Dorothy Naohara. Kazuma Sasaki had a gambling habit and earned a large amount of money by gambling. He continued gambling in Santa Anita Assembly Center. He participated in the war but …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-38-162/

doc Democracy and Japanese Americans (ddr-csujad-38-580)

A booklet describing the forced evacuation and incarceration of people of Japanese ancestry during World War II. The author states that "the method of handling Japanese Americans has been neither constitutional nor democratic." See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nao_05_18_001

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-38-580/

doc New Year's card (ddr-csujad-38-110)

A Xeroxed copy of a New Year's card including an illustration of the Tule Lake camp in California. A photo from "George Naohara photo album" (csudh_nao_0001), page 25. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nao_01_25_003

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-38-110/

img Ducks in a pond in the Poston camp (ddr-csujad-38-214)

Photographed are ducks in a pond in the Poston camp in Arizona. A photo from: Mitzi Naohara photo album (csudh_nao_0200), page 7. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nao_02_07_010

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-38-214/