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 (231)
Concentration camps (1454)
Work and jobs (1370)

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1370 items

img Japanese Americans feeding cows (ddr-densho-37-604)

Original WRA caption: Gila River Relocation Center, Rivers, Arizona. M. Fujita is pictured feeding the cows at the dairy farm school. He works days on the hog farm, and spends his evenings at the school to learn milking and the care of the cows. Prior to evacuation, he was a builder of fishing boats at San …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-37-604/

img Mess Hall picnic (ddr-densho-363-43)

Mes hall 21-27 picnic to the Shoshone River. Front Row: Mr. Nakamura, Asano Maruyama, Kimi Kuwahara, Tomiye Ichida; Back Row: Yanaichi Kubo, Joanne Kuwahara, Nancy Oyama

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-363-43/

img Mess Hall picnic (ddr-densho-363-45)

Kimi Kuwahara at mess hall picnic to the Shoshone River. The caption on the back of the photograph reads "May 13, 1944".

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-363-45/

img Firefighter (ddr-densho-363-33)

Frank Komoto sits on the bumper of the Heart Mountain fire truck.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-363-33/

img Mess Hall picnic (ddr-densho-363-40)

Kimi Kuwahara and Tomi Ichida during a mess hall picnic.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-363-40/

img Mess Hall picnic (ddr-densho-363-44)

Mess hall workers pose next to the Shoshone River during workers' picnic. Front row: Joanne Kuwahara, Mr. Nakamura, Asano Maruyama, Kimi Kuwahara, Tomic Ichida; Back row: Unidentified, Nancy Oyama

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-363-44/

img Mess Hall picnic (ddr-densho-363-42)

Nancy Oyama and Kimi Kuwahara at a mess hall workers' picnic along the Shoshone River. The caption on the bottom of the photograph reads "Mess picnic" and the caption on the back of the photograph reads "May 13, 1944 Shoshone River".

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-363-42/

img Employees in the Manzanar Housing Department (ddr-densho-420-31)

Caption on reverse: "Housing department / 1943."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-420-31/

img Masa Ogawa and Sandy Sandridge (ddr-densho-420-3)

Masa Ogawa nannied for Sandy Sandridge whose mother was Gladys Sandridge, a teacher living on site at Manzanar concentration camp.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-420-3/

img Sandy Sandridge (ddr-densho-420-2)

Masa Ogawa nannied for Sandy Sandridge whose mother was Gladys Sandridge, a teacher living on site at Manzanar concentration camp.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-420-2/

img Police department at Manzanar (ddr-densho-420-21)

Caption on reverse: "March, 22, 1943 To Masa / from / Joe Tami / Manzanar California / Police Dept. / Look."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-420-21/

img Two men harvesting potatoes near Minidoka (ddr-densho-420-8)

Masa Ogawa's cousin. Caption on reverse: "Here is myself / taken while I / was working at / the local farm / nearby the camp / in 1943 or 44. / Don't I look / a mess huh? / Well I will send / you a better one / soon. / Roy / P.S. me without …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-420-8/

img Masa Ogawa and Sandy Sandridge (ddr-densho-420-1)

Masa Ogawa nannied for Sandy Sandridge whose mother was Gladys Sandridge, a teacher living on site at Manzanar concentration camp.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-420-1/

doc The Newell Star, Vol. I, No. 9 (April 27, 1944) (ddr-densho-284-14)

Selected article titles: "20-25 Group Predominates in Tule Lake" (pp. 1-2), "Voluntary Terminations Aid Employment Policy" (pp. 1-2), and "Danjo Seinenkai Exhibit Attracts Large Crowds" (p. 2).

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-284-14/

doc The Newell Star, Vol. I, No. 28 (September 7, 1944) (ddr-densho-284-34)

Selected article titles: "LA Police Drops Judo Training from Curriculum" (pp. 1-2), "Response Favorable on Job Termination Policy" (p. 1), and "Renunciation Bill Under Review--Myer" (p. 1).

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-284-34/

doc The Newell Star, Vol. I, No. 34 (October 19, 1944) (ddr-densho-284-38)

Selected article titles: "Report $952.60 Collected in Imonhin Drive" (p. 1), "Fagan Announces WRA Employment Policy" (pp. 1-2), and "Court Denies Ochikubo's Suit Against Military" (p. 2).

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-284-38/

doc The Newell Star, Vol. II, No. 52 (December 28, 1945) (ddr-densho-284-110)

Selected article titles: "Tule Parolees to Be Granted Hearings Soon" (p. 1), "Justice Dept.: Renunciants May Now Apply for Hearings" (pp. 1-2), "3550 Voluntary Repatriates En Route to Japan" (p. 1), and "Need for More Workers Announced by Placement" (p. 2).

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-284-110/

doc The Newell Star, Vol. I, No. 11 (May 11, 1944) (ddr-densho-284-17)

Selected article titles: "Segregation: 1000 from Jerome, Rohwer Expected Over Weekend" (pp. 1-2), "Spanish Delegate to Visit Japanese Nationals Here" (p. 1), and "CA Contacting Other Centers to Obtain Japanese Movies" (p. 4).

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-284-17/

doc The Newell Star, Vol. II, No. 35 (August 31, 1945) (ddr-densho-284-83)

Selected article titles: "Less Work: Tule to Go on 40-Hour Work Week from Sept. 9" (p. 1), "Ration-Free Shoes May Be Available" (p. 1), "Return of Evacuees Topic of Renton, Wash. Meeting" (p. 3), and "Survey Shows Many Tuleans Now in Sacramento Area" (p. 4).

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-284-83/

doc The Newell Star, Vol. I, No. 26 (August 24, 1944) (ddr-densho-284-32)

Selected article titles: "Public Assistance Grants: Evacuees Refusing Work Ineligible for Grants" (p. 1), "Census Reveals 79,484 Living in 9 Centers" (p. 1), and "Oversea Parcels: Rules Given for Sending Soldiers Christmas Mail" (p. 4).

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-284-32/

doc The Newell Star, Vol. I, No. 15 (June 8, 1944) (ddr-densho-284-22)

Selected article titles: "Voluntary Terminations Asked in Families of Two" (p. 2) and "Hayward Assures Ample Supply of Vegetables" (p. 2).

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-284-22/

doc Letter from Joseph Ishikawa to Eva (ddr-densho-468-99)

Letter written from Granada (Amache) describing life in the concentration camp compared to Santa Anita.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-468-99/

doc The Newell Star, Vol. III, No. 4 (January 25, 1946) (ddr-densho-284-114)

Selected article titles: "Jobs Available for Those Who May be Released" (pp. 1-2), "Express Appreciation of Cooperation Shown" (p. 1), and "N. J. Farm Reiterates Need for More Workers" (p. 2).

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-284-114/

doc The Newell Star, Vol. II, No. 20 (May 18, 1945) (ddr-densho-284-69)

Selected article titles: "New Acts of Terrorism Are Disclosed by WRA" (p. 2), "Sugar Allotment Cut Announced" (p. 2), "New Steps Assist House Hunters" (p. 3), and "Employment in April Shows Slight Increase" (p. 4). Page 1 of the edition is missing.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-284-69/

doc A Myopic Account of a Relocated Life during the Second World War (ddr-densho-468-97)

Personal recollections of life in an assembly center and relocation camp for Japanese descendants and various digressions

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-468-97/