Living conditions

All of the camps were constructed according to the War Department's specifications, which included barbed-wire fences, guard towers, and armed guards around the perimeter. The camps were organized in "blocks" consisting of twelve to fourteen barracks, a mess hall, communal showers and toilets, laundry facilities, and a recreation hall. Each barracks was divided into four or six rooms with each room housing one family, no matter how large, and there was no running water. The furnishings that Japanese Americans found on their arrival were canvas cots, a potbellied stove, and a single bare light bulb. The thin walls offered little protection from the harsh weather, which ranged from 110 degrees in the summer to 25 degrees below zero on winter nights. The flimsy construction allowed no privacy and made normal family life difficult. Camp inmates improved their own living conditions by creating interior walls and partitions, constructing furniture from scrap lumber, and planting gardens.

World War II (231)
Concentration camps (1434)
Living conditions (1751)

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1751 items

doc "Japanese Very Happy To Take Shower... In Tub" (ddr-densho-68-37)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-68-37/

doc "Books Arrive; Manzanar Students Face Graduation" (ddr-densho-68-32)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-68-32/

doc "Koba Elected at Manzanar" (ddr-densho-68-68)

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

doc "Find Friends at Minidoka" (ddr-densho-68-75)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-68-75/

doc "32 Islanders At Manzanar In Camouflage Jobs" (ddr-densho-68-47)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-68-47/

doc Envelope and letters to Dr. Keizaburo "Kei" Koyama from Miriam Kiyo Koyama and William Koyama (ddr-one-5-28)

Envelope addressed to Dr. Keizaburo Koyama at Camp Livingston from his children, William Koyama and Miriam Kiyo Koyama, at Minidoka. Postmarked Sep 11, 1942. To the left of the postmark “Sept 14, 42” is written in red pencil. On the left side of the envelope is a purple "Censored" stamp. Inside the envelope are two letters, …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-5-28/

doc Memo from multiple incarcerees to the Co-ordinating Committee, February 1944 (ddr-csujad-2-89)

States that the incarcerees wish to see "normalcy re-established" and peace and cooperation preserved between the Administration and the "Colony" in the Tule Lake incarceration camp, pledging support for the Co-ordinating Committee's efforts to attain peace at the camp. A handwritten annotation next to one of the people's names provides his or her release date. Names …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-2-89/

doc Report on incarcerees stealing plasterboard (ddr-csujad-2-51)

Report on three incarcerees accused of stealing plasterboard at Tule Lake Incarceration Camp in order to make closets in their apartments. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sjs_sch_0051

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-2-51/

doc [Japanese folklore about birth] (ddr-csujad-2-59)

Report on Japanese folklore and superstitions regarding the birth of a newborn. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sjs_sch_0059

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-2-59/

doc Memo from Co-ordinating Committee to W. [Willard E.] Schmidt, [1944] (ddr-csujad-2-98)

List of names, addresses, family numbers, and start dates of active fielders (in subject line, the job title is spelled "fiedlers" but is elsewhere spelled correctly); start dates of the 32 fielders range from January 13, 1944 to February 4, 1944. Names: Hamada, Isao; Nakanishi, Yoichi; Iwohara, Tsugio; Okamoto, Chiyoko; Keiunji, Masaru; Sakai, Masayoshi; Oda, Yoshitsugu; …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-2-98/

doc Letter from Henry [Katsumi] Fujita to Mr. and Mrs. Davis, October 5, 1942 (ddr-csujad-23-14)

Describes in detail the long train ride from Sept. 15-18 between Merced and the Granada (Amache) incarceration camp: the layout of the train cars, times to different towns, tunnels and coal smoke, eating and sleeping arrangements, military troops and equipment staged along the railway, desert scenery, late arrival at Amache, an extra night aboard the train, …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-23-14/

img Block 305 (ddr-csujad-38-169)

Photographed are barracks of Block 305 or 318 at the Poston camp in Arizona. The caption reads: Block 305. Title from caption. A photo from: Mitzi Naohara photo album (csudh_nao_0200), page 2. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nao_02_02_004

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-38-169/

img Geroge Naohara and Atsushi Ishida (ddr-csujad-38-92)

A photograph of Atsushi Ishida (center) and George Naohara (right) posing at the entrance to a mess hall in the Jerome camp in Arkansas. A photo from "George Naohara photo album" (csudh_nao_0001), page 21. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nao_01_21_007

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-38-92/

img Man in victory garden at the Jerome camp (ddr-csujad-38-100)

Photographed is a man gardening in a victory garden at the Jerome incarceration camp in Arkansas. A photo from "George Naohara photo album" (csudh_nao_0001), page 22. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nao_01_22_005

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-38-100/

img Yokota family (ddr-csujad-38-281)

Photographed is the Yokota family, sitting in front of their barrack in the Jerome camp in Arkansas. Includes Yukie Masukawa. It was presumably taken when Yukie Masukawa, an incarceree at the Poston camp in Arizona, visited her family at the Jerome camp. The photo was sent from Sally Sakaye Sasaki at the Jerome camp to Mitzi …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-38-281/

img Poston Arizona 1945 (ddr-csujad-38-165)

Photographed are incarcerees and barracks at the Poston camp in Arizona. The caption reads: Poston Arizona 1945. Title from caption. "KF476" is stamped on the backside. A photo from: Mitzi Naohara photo album (csudh_nao_0200), page 1. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nao_02_01_002

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-38-165/

img Interior of the barracks at the Jerome camp (ddr-csujad-38-265)

Photographed is the interior of the barracks at the Jerome camp in Arkansas. The photo was sent from Sally Sakaye Sasaki at the Jerome camp to Mitzi Masukawa Naohara at the Poston camp in Arizona. A photo from: Mitzi Naohara photo album (csudh_nao_0200), page 15. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-38-265/

img View of Poston mountain (ddr-csujad-35-15)

A photograph of Poston Butte. The handwritten note on the back side reads: View of Poston mountain, Colo. River Relocation Center, Poston, Arizona, 1942-1945. Title from note. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: kuw_01_13_003

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-35-15/

img Children at Manzanar incarceration camp (ddr-csujad-36-6)

Photograph of two children sitting on a bench with two other people, possibly children, standing behind them near a tree. Manzanar incarceration camp barracks are pictured behind them. A photo from: Manzanar Photo Album. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: man_01_007

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-36-6/

img View from camp of Manzanar (ddr-csujad-36-13)

Colored photograph of the barracks at the Manzanar incarceration camp. Verso states, "View from camp of Manzanar." Title from verso. A photo from: Manzanar Photo Album. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: man_01_014_01

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-36-13/

img Children at Manzanar incarceration camp (ddr-csujad-36-2)

Photograph of four children standing on or near a bridge at the Manzanar incarceration camp. Camp barracks can be seen in the background. A photo from: Manzanar Photo Album. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: man_01_002

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-36-2/

img Children at Manzanar incarceration camp (ddr-csujad-36-1)

Photograph of two children standing next to each other at the Manzanar incarceration camp. Mountains and camp buildings can be seen in the background. A photo from: Manzanar Photo Album. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: man_01_001

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-36-1/

img Manzanar group photograph (ddr-csujad-36-8)

Group photograph of women at the Manzanar incarceration camp. Camp barracks are pictured in the background. A photo from: Manzanar Photo Album. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: man_01_009

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-36-8/

img Manzanar camp barracks (ddr-csujad-36-4)

Photograph of barracks at the Manzanar incarceration camp. A photo from: Manzanar Photo Album. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: man_01_004

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-36-4/

img Heart Mountain incarceration camp (ddr-csujad-37-16)

Panorama of Heart Mountain incarceration camp in Cody, Wyoming. People pictured walking down a street in between camp barracks. Snow covered Heart Mountain is seen behind. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: mhf_016

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-37-16/