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 (283)
Concentration camps (2078)
Holidays and festivals (325)

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325 items

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/

doc Christmas letter (ddr-densho-483-132)

Christmas letter from Tsutomu Fukuyama to family friends. The letter describes Christmas at Minidoka, housing conditions following transfers from Tule Lake and Manzanar, the agricultural impacts of the boll weaver, and the resettlement of Nisei Christians.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-483-132/

doc The Minidoka Herald Special Edition (February, 1944) (ddr-densho-483-94)

Selected article titles: "The work of the Federated Christian Church of Minidoka" (p. 1); "A glimpse into the barrack colony of Minidoka" (p. 1), "The vision of the worldwide church" (p. 1), "Greetings from Minidoka" (p. 1), "Structure of the Federated Christian Church of Minidoka" (p. 1), "The work of the Minidoka Project elementary schools" (p. …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-483-94/

doc 1943 Christmas greetings (ddr-csujad-55-1463)

Program for a Christmas pageant at the Protestant Church at Crystal City Department of Justice Internment Camp. From the Mary F. Clark scrapbook, "Before I Forget, 1942-1947," page 111. See also sac_jaac_1334 through sac_jaac_1529. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_1465

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-1463/

doc Weinachts programm 1944 Internierungslager Crystal City, Texas (ddr-csujad-55-1481)

Program for a German Christmas Eve celebration at Crystal City Department of Justice Internment Camp. From the Mary F. Clark scrapbook, "Before I Forget, 1942-1947," page 124. See also sac_jaac_1334 through sac_jaac_1529. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_1483

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-1481/

doc Minutes from the Heart Mountain Community Council meeting, October 26, 1943 (ddr-csujad-55-484)

Minutes from the Heart Mountain Community Council meeting. Includes discussion on Christmas, "evacuee doctors", and camp operations and services. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_0486

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-484/

doc Minutes from the Heart Mountain Block Chairmen meeting, December 21, 1942 (ddr-csujad-55-384)

Minutes from the Heart Mountain Block Chairmen meeting. Includes discussion on Christmas meal, cooks wages, and retirement. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_0386

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-384/

doc Minutes from the Heart Mountain Block Chairmen meeting, December 22, 1942 (ddr-csujad-55-386)

Minutes from the Heart Mountain Block Chairmen meeting. Includes discussion on recreation conference, Christmas meal, and New Year entertainment. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_0388

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-386/

doc Letter from Tomiye to Miss Mary Clark, November 3, 1944 (ddr-csujad-55-1457)

Scrapbook page containing a note regarding a request for a crutch and a Boy Scouts program. From the Mary F. Clark scrapbook, "Before I Forget, 1942-1947," page 106. See also sac_jaac_1334 through sac_jaac_1529. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_1459

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-1457/

doc Poem from German internee at Crystal City Department of Justice Internment Camp (ddr-csujad-55-1386)

Poem written by a German internee given as a gift to Mary Clark, originally accompanied by a bottle of perfume. From the Mary F. Clark scrapbook, "Before I Forget, 1942-1947," page 56. See also sac_jaac_1334 through sac_jaac_1529. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_1388

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-1386/

img Carnival compliments of the silk screen shop (ddr-csujad-55-1319)

Souvenir tag for "Carnival" at Granada incarceration camp depicting a cowboy cartoon figure. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_1321

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-1319/

img Christmas greetings especially for you (ddr-csujad-55-1321)

Silk screen Christmas card featuring two poinsettias and a calligraphy greeting. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_1323

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-1321/

img Lil Neebo season's greetings (ddr-csujad-55-1320)

Silk screen Christmas card featuring cartoon character, Lil Neebo. Lil Neebo was originally created by Chris Ishi for the Santa Anita Pacemaker. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_1322

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-1320/

img In honor of Meiji (ddr-csujad-55-1458)

Scrapbook page containing two black and white photographs depicting Japanese Boy Scouts in uniform honoring Meiji. Title from caption. See also sac_jac_1461. From Mary F. Clark scrapbook, "Before I Forget, 1942-1947," page 107. See also sac_jaac_1334 through sac_jaac_1529. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_1460

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-1458/

img Heart Mountain sentinel (October 30, 1943): Zootsuo (ddr-csujad-55-1017)

Comic strip created by Bennie Nobori, published in "Heart Mountain Sentinel" at Heart Mountain incarceration camp. Satirical cartoon features the adventures of Zootsuo, a young boy at an incarceration camp. Includes verso in Japanese. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_1019

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-1017/

doc Hunt Hi-lites anniversary (December 1943) (ddr-csujad-55-1934)

Special Christmas edition of the newsletter published by Hunt High School at Minidoka incarceration camp. Covers events, activities, news, and opinion related to Hunt High School students. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_1937

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-1934/

doc Christmas card from Japanese Spokesman's office to Miss Mary F. Clark, 1945 (ddr-csujad-55-1406)

Christmas card from the Japanese Spokesman's office to Mary Clark. From the Mary F. Clark scrapbook, "Before I Forget, 1942-1947," page 66. See also sac_jaac_1334 through sac_jaac_1529. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_1408

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-1406/

img Santa Claus "Knecht Ruprecht" at Crystal City Department of Justice Internment Camp (ddr-csujad-55-1464)

Scrapbook page containing photographs of Santa Clause or "Knecht Ruprecht" at Crystal City Department of Justice Internment Camp. From the Mary F. Clark scrapbook, "Before I Forget, 1942-1947," page 112. See also sac_jaac_1334 through sac_jaac_1529. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_1466

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-1464/

doc New Year benefit raffle (ddr-csujad-55-1962)

New Year Benefit raffle ticket, belonging to Masako Adachi, for an event at Tule Lake incarceration camp. From the Masako Adachi scrapbook. See also sac_jaac_1953. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_1965

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-1962/

img Amache Yuletide (ddr-csujad-55-1322)

Silk screen Christmas card featuring a winter scene of Amache incarceration camp and a calligraphy greeting. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_1324

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-1322/

doc Minutes from the Heart Mountain Block Chairmen meeting, January 24, 1944 (ddr-csujad-55-441)

Minutes from the Heart Mountain Block Chairmen meeting. Includes discussion on Shinnenkai and recreation. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_0443

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-441/

img Greetings from Poston (ddr-csujad-55-1888)

Greeting card depicting decorative lettering of the word "Poston" with watercolor illustrations of camp landmarks inside each letter. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_1891

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-1888/

doc Letter to Hon. Franklin D. Roosevelt and Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt, December 1942 (ddr-csujad-55-34)

Handwritten and illustrated Christmas card addressed to Franklin D. Roosevelt and Eleanor Roosevelt. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_00037

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-34/

doc Community wide Halloween party (ddr-csujad-55-711)

Planning document for a Halloween party at Heart Mountain incarceration camp. Outlines responsibilities for individuals and groups assisting with decorations, refreshments, games, and maintenance. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_0713

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-711/