Work and jobs

Both Issei and Nisei took jobs within the camps, at wages set not to exceed soldiers' pay: $12 per month for unskilled labor, $16 for skilled labor, and $19 for professional employees. WRA staff was paid much more for the same jobs. Though public opinion mandated such low pay, dissatisfied Japanese Americans objected to losing their right to make a decent living. They had to use their sparse income for necessities, such as warm clothing and shoes.

World War II (283)
Concentration camps (2078)
Work and jobs (1524)

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1524 items

img Four technicians and a blood-test patient in hospital laboratory at Granada incarceration camp (ddr-csujad-14-47)

Four technicians and a blood-test patient in hospital laboratory at Granada incarceration camp. December 12, 1942. Photo by Tom Parker. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: HMLSC_TOMO_f12

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-14-47/

img Shoemakers at work in shoe repair shop at Heart Mountain incarceration camp (ddr-csujad-14-60)

Shoemakers at work in shoe repair shop at Heart Mountain incarceration camp. January 11, 1943. Photo by Tom Parker. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: HMLSC_TOMO_f25

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-14-60/

img George Baba and Tokiji Umeda overhauling a truck loader in motor pool repair section at Rohwer incarceration camp (ddr-csujad-14-24)

George Baba and Tokiji Umeda overhauling a truck loader in motor pool repair section at Rohwer incarceration camp. March 10, 1943. Photo by Tom Parker. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: HMLSC_TOMO_024

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-14-24/

img In the Engineering and Operation Division of Jerome incarceration camp (ddr-csujad-14-13)

In the Engineering and Operation Division of Jerome incarceration camp, Yoshiyuki Murata, graduate engineer, prepares plans for center construction. March 10, 1943. Photo by Tom Parker. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: HMLSC_TOMO_013

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-14-13/

img Machinist operating drill press in motor pool shop at Heart Mountain incarceration camp (ddr-csujad-14-57)

Machinist operating drill press in motor pool shop at Heart Mountain incarceration camp. January 9, 1943. Photo by Tom Parker. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: HMLSC_TOMO_f22

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-14-57/

img Former Californian Dr. Fugikawa examining a patient (ddr-csujad-14-14)

Former Californian Dr. Fugikawa examining a patient, S. Ego, with Jerome incarceration camp hospital's fluoroscope. March 11, 1943. Photo by Tom Parker. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: HMLSC_TOMO_014

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

img Chic Yamaguchi, former farm worker from Kingsburg, California (ddr-csujad-14-2)

Chic Yamaguchi, former farm worker from Kingsburg, California, turning a section from a model ship on lathe in model ship factory at Gila River incarceration camp. April 27, 1943. Photo by Francis Stewart. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: HMLSC_TOMO_002

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-14-2/

img Assembling and folding "The sentinel," Heart Mountain incarceration camp newspaper (ddr-csujad-14-55)

Assembling and folding "The sentinel," Heart Mountain incarceration camp newspaper. January 8, 1943. Photo by Tom Parker. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: HMLSC_TOMO_f20

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-14-55/

img Former California biochemistry student Tom Arase (ddr-csujad-14-15)

Former California biochemistry student Tom Arase performs gastro analysis in hospital laboratory at Jerome incarceration camp March 3, 1943. Photo by Tom Parker. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: HMLSC_TOMO_015

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-14-15/

img Former California mechanic Chester Ishii repairing piece of farm machinery at Rohwer incarceration camp (ddr-csujad-14-25)

Former California mechanic Chester Ishii repairing piece of farm machinery at Rohwer incarceration camp. March 10, 1943. Photo by Tom Parker. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: HMLSC_TOMO_025

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-14-25/

img Mechanic honing cylinders in a truck motor at Heart Mountain incarceration camp (ddr-csujad-14-53)

Mechanic honing cylinders in a truck motor at Heart Mountain incarceration camp. January 2, 1943. Photo by Tom Parker. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: HMLSC_TOMO_f18

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-14-53/

img Former Californian K. Inoye operates hand saw (ddr-csujad-14-17)

Former Californian K. Inoye operates hand saw in cabinet shop at Jerome incarceration camp. March 12, 1943. Photo by Tom Parker. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: HMLSC_TOMO_017

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-14-17/

doc Personnel: Information Office No. 1-6 (ddr-csujad-40-4)

List of personnel in Information Offices Number 1-6 at the Manzanar incarceration camp. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: roy_01_05_001

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-40-4/

doc Progress report of Information Office 5 (ddr-csujad-40-7)

Progress report written by Howard Mukai about the Information Office No. 5 at the Manzanar incarceration camp. Report covers services, accomplishments, and personnel. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: roy_01_08_001

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-40-7/

doc History of the Office no. 2 (ddr-csujad-40-5)

Report by Iwao Shirokawa about the history of Information Field Office No. 2 at the Manzanar incarceration camp. Report covers history of the office, personnel, services, and accomplishments. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: roy_01_06_001

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-40-5/

doc Progress report of the Information Field Office No. 4 (ddr-csujad-40-1)

Progress report by Nori Nakai for Information Field Office No. 4 at the Manzanar incarceration camp. Report covers field office location, personnel, accomplishments, and services. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: roy_01_01_001

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-40-1/

doc Resume of Information Office No. 3 (ddr-csujad-40-6)

Report by Mike Hori about the Information Field Office No. 3 at the Manzanar incarceration camp. Report covers history of the office, services, personnel, family reunions, and daily life at the camp. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: roy_01_07_001

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-40-6/

doc Progress report: content (ddr-csujad-40-2)

The progress report contains Dave and Roy's report about the Information Field Offices at the Manzanar incarceration camp. The report is written by several authors and covers field offices, voluntary service corps, office supplies, family reunion applications, personnel, lost and found department, resident's directory, and letters for residents. Included are: Progress Report on the information service …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-40-2/

doc Notice of assignment, Form WRA-21, George Naohara (ddr-csujad-38-566)

A notice of assignment, Form WRA-21, issued by Lee A. Lampson, Tule Lake Relocation Center, War Relocation Authority. It notifies George Nobuo Naohara of a farmer's position assigned. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nao_05_13_019

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-38-566/

img Lumbering (ddr-csujad-38-290)

Photographed is a male incarceree cutting trees. The photo was sent from Sally Sakaye Sasaki at the Jerome camp to Mitzi Masukawa at the Poston camp in Arizona. A photo from: Mitzi Naohara photo album (csudh_nao_0200), page 16. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nao_02_16_013

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-38-290/

img Holiday greetings (ddr-csujad-38-19)

A holiday greeting card made by George Nobuo Naohara and his friends in the Jerome camp in Arkansas. An item from "George Naohara photo album" (csudh_nao_0001), page 3. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nao_01_03_002

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-38-19/

doc Where money is kept in circulation (ddr-csujad-38-347)

A newspaper clipping titled, "Where money is kept in circulation," published in "Denson tribune" on June 11, 1943. It describes the store operation at the Jerome camp in Arkansas. The clipping was sent from Mitzi Masukawa Naohara's friend, "Sock,"at the Jerome camp to her at the Poston camp in Arizona. An item from: Mitzi Naohara scrapbook …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-38-347/

img Incarcrees at the Jerome camp (ddr-csujad-38-278)

Photographed are two female incarcerees with a toddler and one male incarceree at the Jerome camp in Arkansas. It appears that they are cooking. The handwritten note reads: ___ cooking seaweed. [In Japanese]. The photo was sent from Sally Sakaye Sasaki at the Jerome camp to Mitzi Masukawa Naohara at the Poston camp in Arizona. A …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-38-278/

img George Naohara (ddr-csujad-38-253)

A photo of George Nobuo Naohara in the Jerome incarceration camp in Arkansas. A photo from: Mitzi Naohara photo album (csudh_nao_0200), page 13. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nao_02_13_004

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-38-253/

img 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

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-38-94/