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 Ranch (ddr-densho-160-58)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-160-58/

img Camp meat processers (ddr-densho-160-52)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-160-52/

img Camp newspaper staff (ddr-densho-160-91)

This is the Granada Pioneer newspaper staff. The man wearing a hat in the center of the group is the newspaper's editor, Oski Taniwaki.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-160-91/

img Silk screen shop workers (ddr-densho-160-83)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-160-83/

img Japanese Americans preparing cows for slaughter (ddr-densho-160-48)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-160-48/

img Japanese American working in a field (ddr-densho-160-63)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-160-63/

img Camp worker (ddr-densho-160-56)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-160-56/

img Schoolchildren harvesting onions (ddr-densho-160-61)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-160-61/

img Silk screen shop worker (ddr-densho-160-36)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-160-36/

img Japanese Americans harvesting onions (ddr-densho-160-62)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-160-62/

img Camp fire crew (ddr-densho-187-10)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-187-10/

img Man stacking bags of carrots (ddr-densho-187-18)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-187-18/

img Fire department training (ddr-densho-188-12)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-188-12/

doc Camp fire department badge (ddr-densho-188-32)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-188-32/

doc Workers' pass (ddr-densho-188-30)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-188-30/

doc Paycheck issued in camp (ddr-densho-188-29)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-188-29/

doc Letter of resignation (ddr-densho-223-78)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-223-78/

doc Letter from the Masudas to Mrs. Charles Gates (ddr-densho-211-7)

Letter on a single sheet of paper, folded into quarters, from the Masudas in Poston.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-211-7/

doc Japs to Enlist in Work Corps (May 15, 1942) (ddr-densho-56-796)

The Seattle Daily Times, May 15, 1942, p. 12

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-56-796/

doc Many Japs Balk at Low Camp Pay (June 10, 1943) (ddr-densho-56-929)

The Seattle Daily Times, June 10, 1943, p. 21

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-56-929/

doc Pacific Citizen, Vol. 84, No. 17 (May 6, 1977) (ddr-pc-49-17)

Selected article titles: "70 Co-Sponsor Mineta Bill for Retirement Credit" (p.1, 5), "Tuition Bill at Critical Stage" *p.1), "Guayule Rubber Developed by Evacuees" (p.2, 7), "Noguchi's 'Skygate'" (p.3).

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-pc-49-17/

img Nisei soldier and the staff of the Minidoka Irrigator (ddr-densho-10-1)

T-Sergeant Ben Kuroki (center front), a famous Nisei war hero, poses with the staff of the Minidoka Irrigator, the Minidoka concentration camp newspaper. Front (left to right): Mitsu Yasuda, Cherry Tanaka, Ben Kuroki, Kimi Tambara, and Kerry Soejima. Middle: Mitsuko Miyoshi, unidentified, Sachi Yasui, Miye Takatsuka, Masako Tsujikawa, and Watson Asaba. Back: Johnny Okamoto, Peter Ohtaki, …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-10-1/

img The staff of the Minidoka Irrigator (ddr-densho-10-3)

The staff of the Minidoka Irrigator, the weekly newspaper of the Minidoka concentration camp, outside the paper's office. The Minidoka Irrigator, a weekly paper, ran from September 10, 1942, through July 28, 1945, and contained news about the camp and of the war when Nisei began enlisting. Japanese Americans with a background in journalism worked on …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-10-3/

img The staff of the Minidoka Irrigator (ddr-densho-10-2)

The staff of the Minidoka Irrigator, the newspaper of the Minidoka concentration camp, is shown in the paper's office. Far right (left to right): Takako Matsumoto (left) and Elsie Sata. Front (left to right): unidentified, Kimi Tambara, Cherry Tanaka, John Kanda, Miyuki Inouye, and Sachi Yasui. Back: Mitsuko Miyoshi, Harry Nakata, Watson Asaba, unidentified, unidentified, Mitsu …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-10-2/

img The staff of the Minidoka Irrigator (ddr-densho-10-4)

People of various ages worked on the Minidoka Irrigator, the newspaper of the Minidoka concentration camp. Issei were in charge of writing the Japanese section of the newspaper, for those who did not understand English. The Nisei concentrated on stories in English. Front (left to right): Kimi Tambara, Cherry Tanaka, and Mitsu Yasuda. Middle: Miyuki Inouye …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-10-4/