Food
The eating facilities in the camps were large mess halls with long lines and crowded tables. Group living tended to erode family solidarity, as teenagers escaped parental authority by eating with friends rather than family. The quality of the food was poor and milk and fresh meat were constantly in short supply. Inexpensive foods such as wieners, dried fish, pancakes, macaroni and pickled vegetables were served often. The diets of the camp inmates improved only after they began growing some of their own food.
World War II
(231)
Concentration camps
(1434)
Food
(237)
237 items
237 items

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Incarcerees having lunch at Granada incarceration camp (ddr-csujad-14-36)
Incarcerees having lunch at Granada incarceration camp. August 20, 1942. Photo by Tom Parker. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: HMLSC_TOMO_f01

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Manzanar From Inside Out (ddr-csujad-19-2)
Text of address by Roy Nash, Director of the Manzanar War Relocation Project, given to the Commonwealth Club of California, San Francisco, on July 31, 1942 for the purpose of "interpret[ing] the actuality of a War Relocation Center housing 10,000 evacuees" in view of perceptions of mistreatment of incarcerees in California. Sections of the speech include …
![[Report on Tule Lake disorders] (ddr-csujad-2-64)](https://ddr.densho.org/media/cache/c5/62/c562315db3e445ab675f54c6d8488df1.jpg)
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[Report on Tule Lake disorders] (ddr-csujad-2-64)
A report written from the Community Analysis Section at Camp Granada regarding transfers to Amache Camp from Tule Lake Camp. The report describes the protests at Tule Lake Camp which led to martial law from November, 1943-January 1944. Highlights of the report include protests against the low quality and quantity of food present at Tule Lake …

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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 …

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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

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Memo from WRA Administrative Division re: war ration books, May 18, 1943 (ddr-csujad-26-40)
Memo advising recipient to relinquish war ration books due to living in a "group institutional user establishment." See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: mei_03_08_003
![Farm [farm workers loading truck] (ddr-csujad-26-72)](https://ddr.densho.org/media/cache/6f/14/6f1428a3dfdd2d74f5d0185157baf652.jpg)
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Farm [farm workers loading truck] (ddr-csujad-26-72)
Three workers smile at the camera while loading a truck. Caption on back of photograph reads, "The farm." From photo album of Robert Billigmeier. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: mei_05_009

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Messhalls in Tule Lake (ddr-csujad-26-23)
Report describing the mess halls of Tule Lake including: administrative organization, operations, personnel, duties, conflicts, wages, food procurement and distribution, food preparation, schedules, sample menus, dietary accommodations, food rationing and shortages, seating capacity, seating arrangements and systems, utensils, and incarceree attendance. The report analyzes workers and incarceree behaviors, status, mental faculties, disposition, religion, age, and gender. …

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University of California evacuation and resettlement study: The Gila River WRA relocation center, Rivers, Pinal County, Arizona (ddr-csujad-26-27)
Description of the Gila River incarceration camp during the first month of occupation, including camp location, climate, landscape, barracks, issues with camp construction, poor conditions and lack of furnishings, incarcerees who were subjected to upon arrival. Camp administration, food and housing issues, camp employment, security, recreation, and social groups are described and analyzed. Report compiled as …

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Evacuation and resettlement study, structural report, section II: the first six months at Tule Lake: social changes and a chronology of events (ddr-csujad-26-4)
Report chronicling the first six months Tule Lake camp including the establishment of community activities, employment, schools, and barracks infrastructure. Describes challenges of adjusting to life in camp often using direct quotations from incarcerees to express struggles amid social and cultural groups as well as conflicts and strikes. Several events are also described including a description …

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Structural report, chapter I: an introduction to Tule Lake (ddr-csujad-26-3)
Portion of a report compiled as part of the Japanese American Evacuation and Resettlement Study (JERS) describing the landscape, climate, barracks, facilities, schedule, and daily life routines of incarcerees at the Tule Lake incarceration camp. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: mei_01_34_001

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Victim of the Japanese Evacuation and Resettlement Study (JERS) (ddr-csujad-26-31)
An affidavit written to invalidate purported distortions and false accusations made against the author in two books published using research material collected by Rosalie Hankey Wax during de Cristoforo's incarceration at Tule Lake. The books are "Doing Fieldwork: Warnings and Advice" by Rosalie H. Wax and "The Spoilage" by Dorothy Swaine Thomas and Richard S. Nishimoto …

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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

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Ladies at Block 8 mess hall (ddr-csujad-38-103)
Photographed are a group of female incarcerees standing in front of "Dining" facility in the Jerome incarceration camp in Arkansas. The handwritten note on the backside reads: Ladies at Block 8 mess hall [in Japanese]. Title from note. A photo from "George Naohara photo album" (csudh_nao_0001), page 22. See this object in the California State Universities …

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George Naohara and Atsushi Art Ishida in the Jerome camp (ddr-csujad-38-252)
Photographed are George Nobuo Naohara and Atsushi Art Ishida at the Jerome camp in Arkansas. George is wearing an apron. The photo was given to Mitzi Masukawa Naohara incarcerated in the Poston camp in Arizona. A photo from: Mitzi Naohara photo album (csudh_nao_0200), page 13. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization …

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Jerome mess competition north side winners (ddr-csujad-38-94)
A photograph of mess competition winners at the Jerome incarceration camp in Arkansas, capturing two male incarcerees in apron. 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_009

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War ration book four, OPA form R-145, Fumio Takano (ddr-csujad-42-125)
A ration book issued to Fumio Fred Takano incarcerated at the Gila River camp in Arizona. Includes the instructions for use. Unused stamps remain. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: tak_01_67_007

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War ration book four, OPA form R-145, Yoneko Takano (ddr-csujad-42-126)
A ration book issued to Yoneko Takano incarcerated at the Gila River camp in Arizona. Includes the instructions for use. Unused stamps remain. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: tak_01_67_008

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War ration book four, OPA form R-145, Fred Fumio Takano (ddr-csujad-42-124)
A ration book issued to Fumio Fred Takano incarcerated at the Gila River camp in Arizona. Includes the instructions for use. Unused stamps remain. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: tak_01_67_006

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War ration book no. 3, OPA form no. R-130, Fred Fumio Takano (ddr-csujad-42-123)
A ration book issued to Fumio Fred Takano incarcerated at the Gila River camp in Arizona. Includes the instructions for use. Unused stamps remain. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: tak_01_67_005

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War ration book no. 3, OPA form no. R-130, Tomeyo Takano (ddr-csujad-42-122)
A ration book issued to Tomoye Takano incarcerated at the Gila River camp in Arizona. Includes the instructions for use. Unused stamps remain. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: tak_01_67_004

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War ration book no. 3, OPA form no. R-130, Itsuhei Takano (ddr-csujad-42-119)
A ration book issued to Itsuhei Takano incarcerated at the Gila River camp in Arizona. Includes the instructions for use. Unused stamps remain. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: tak_01_67_001

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War ration book no. 3, OPA form no. R-130, Yoneko Takano (ddr-csujad-42-127)
A ration book issued to Yoneko Takano incarcerated at the Gila River camp in Arizona. Includes the instructions for use. Unused stamps remain. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: tak_01_67_009

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Letter from John D. Seater, Chief Project Steward, Gila River Project, July 10, 1945 (ddr-csujad-42-113)
A letter from John D. Seater, Chief Project Steward, Gila River Project, War Relocation Authority, United States Department of the Interior. It lists the food items and certifies that they are Fumio Fred Takano's personal belongings. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: tak_01_62_001

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War ration book four, OPA form R-145, Itsuhei Takano (ddr-csujad-42-120)
A ration book issued for Itsuhei Takano incarcerated at the Gila River camp in Arizona. Includes the instructions for use. Unused stamps remain. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: tak_01_67_002