Holidays and festivals

Striving to maintain normal lives, Japanese Americans held holiday celebrations and festivals inside the concentration camps. Whether decorating mess halls during the Christmas holiday as part of a camp-wide competition or participating in parades to celebrate the harvest of crops from their own gardens, the Japanese Americans demonstrated their resourcefulness and resilience.

World War II (231)
Concentration camps (1434)
Holidays and festivals (268)

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268 items

img Summer carnival (ddr-densho-159-280)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-159-280/

img New Year's celebration (ddr-densho-159-172)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-159-172/

img New Year's celebration (ddr-densho-159-171)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-159-171/

img New Year's celebration (ddr-densho-159-167)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-159-167/

img Obon festival (ddr-densho-159-236)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-159-236/

img Summer carnival (ddr-densho-159-274)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-159-274/

img Obon festival (ddr-densho-159-242)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-159-242/

doc Graduation announcement (with envelope) to Molly Wilson from Chiyeko Akahoshi (June 13, 1944) (ddr-janm-1-112)

Manzanar High School graduation announcement from to Molly Wilson from Chiyeko Akahoshi (June 13, 1944). White card with illustration in bronze of the profile view of two graduates. Envelope is postmarked June 13, 1944 from the Manzanar Incarceration Camp in Manzanar, California.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-janm-1-112/

doc Christmas card (with envelope) to Molly Wilson from Miyeko Imamura (December 14, 1943) (ddr-janm-1-65)

Christmas card to Molly Wilson from Miyeko Imamura (December 14, 1943). White card, brown scroll-type border with illustration in blue/white/red of a snowy village with people gathered around a Christmas tree. Envelope is postmarked December 14, 1943 from the Heart Mountain Incarceration Camp in Cody, Wyoming.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-janm-1-65/

doc Letter (with envelope) to Molly Wilson from Chiyeko Akahoshi (December 26, 1942) (ddr-janm-1-104)

Handwritten letter to Molly Wilson from Chiyeko Akahoshi (December 26, 1942). Envelope is postmarked December 30, 1942 from the Manzanar Incarceration Camp in Manzanar, California.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-janm-1-104/

doc Christmas card (with envelope) to Molly Wilson from Chiyeko Akahoshi (December 17, 1942) (ddr-janm-1-103)

Christmas card to Molly Wilson from Chiyeko Akahoshi (December 17, 1942). White card with illustration in blue/red of a standing Eskimo and a sitting African American. "North and South it's on everyone's mouth - Merry Christmas to you" is on the front center of card. Envelope is postmarked December 17, 1942 from the Manzanar Incarceration Camp …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-janm-1-103/

img Incarceree performing in camp parade (ddr-densho-2-23)

Patsy Yorita performing a flag salute at the Tule Lake concentration camp at the Independence Day parade.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-2-23/

img Block 41 Christmas display (ddr-densho-2-39)

This Block 41 Christmas display, made by Japanese Americans from scrap materials, won third prize during a competition in 1944.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-2-39/

img Flag dedication (ddr-fom-1-907)

WRA caption on reverse: "Dedication of the project flag and flag pole in the administration area conducted by Hunt Boy Scouts. Attended by representatives of American Legion post of Twin Falls, Idaho, civic officials of Twin Falls and Jerome, Idaho, and the Military Police Escort Guarge Company. At left is high school choir. At right are …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-fom-1-907/