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 (283)
Concentration camps (2384)

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2384 items

img View of a concentration camp (ddr-densho-37-1029)

Included annotation: E-402.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-37-1029/

img Honor roll blue print (ddr-densho-37-1269)

Included annotation: B-305, Blue print of memorial.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-37-1269/

img Women writing at a desk (ddr-densho-37-1004)

Included annotation: B-208.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-37-1004/

doc Relocation Center Diary (ddr-fom-2-1)

From September 26, 1942, until February 9, 1946, War Relocation Authority (WRA) employee Arthur Kleinkopf recorded his day-to-day experience at the Minidoka concentration camp in Southern Idaho. His diary begins with his first day at Minidoka and the challenges of establishing a school system. Kleinkopf discusses social tension between Japanese American incarcerees and WRA staff, racist …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-fom-2-1/

img Warehouse crew pose for a picture (ddr-densho-542-540)

Written below photograph: Ware House [sic] crew.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-542-540/

img Woman wearing a pearl necklace (ddr-densho-542-724)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-542-724/

img Man standing outside a doorway (ddr-densho-542-543)

Man standing outside a doorway, possibly Frank Eya. Written below photograph: Morgue.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-542-543/

img Man on a truck at Rohwer (ddr-densho-542-720)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-542-720/

img Mr. and Mrs. Kikawa in front of their Rohwer home (ddr-densho-542-409)

Kunitaro and Takeo Kikawa stand in front a row of sunflowers outside their Rohwer home. Written below photograph: Mom and Pop in front of our home in Rohwer, Arkansas, August 14/1943.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-542-409/