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 T. Heya and S. Nishihara in the Amache Co-op office (ddr-csujad-55-1547)

Black and white photograph of T. Heya and S. Nishihara working in the Amache Consumer Enterprises office at Amache incarceration camp. From Amache Co-op Souvenir Album, page 19. See also sac_jaac_1530 through sac_jaac_1589. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_1549

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-1547/

img Medical staff, August 1945 (ddr-csujad-55-1389)

Scrapbook page containing a black and white photograph depicting the medical staff in uniform at Crystal City Department of Justice Internment Camp. Title from caption. From Mary F. Clark scrapbook, "Before I Forget, 1942-1947," page 58. See also sac_jaac_1334 through sac_jaac_1529. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_1391

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-1389/

doc Syllabus of course instruction for Red Cross volunteer nurse's aides (ddr-csujad-55-1380)

Scrapbook page with attached booklet, Syllabus of Course of Instruction for Red Cross Volunteer Nurses Aides used for hospital staff at Crystal City Department of Justice Internment Camp. Digital object shows cover only; original booklet is 50 pages. From the Mary F. Clark scrapbook, "Before I Forget, 1942-1947," page 51. See also sac_jaac_1334 through sac_jaac_1529. See …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-1380/

img Cleaners staff, Amache Co-op (ddr-csujad-55-1569)

Black and white photograph of laundry service staff at Amache Consumer Enterprises, Amache incarceration camp. From the Amache Co-op Souvenir Album, page 31. See also sac_jaac_1530 through sac_jaac_1589. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_1571

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-1569/

doc Minutes from the Heart Mountain Community Council meeting, January 4, 1944 (ddr-csujad-55-506)

Minutes from the Heart Mountain Community Council meeting. Includes discussion on labor and employment. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_0508

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-506/

doc Memo from Lorne Huycke, Leave Officer, to all teacher interviewers, February 16, 1943 (ddr-csujad-55-194)

Memorandum of understanding from Lorne Huycke, Leave Officer in Tule Lake camp to teacher interviewers regarding, "Assembling of Registration Papers." See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_0196

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-194/

doc Sentinel supplement, series 8 (November 18, 1942) (ddr-csujad-55-1020)

News bulletin for incarcerees covering announcements, events, programs, policies, recreational activities, and jobs at Heart Mountain incarceration camp. Current issue includes information on paychecks, clothing allowances, and "Issei-Nisei cooperation." Includes section in Japanese. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_1022

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-1020/

doc Monthly employment report (ddr-csujad-55-1809)

List of procedures for completing a monthly employment report, employee release (termination), requisition for workers, filling in time record cards, and a monthly labor sheet record. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_1812

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-1809/

img Keisaburo Koda, President, Amache Co-op (ddr-csujad-55-1533)

Black and white photographic portrait of Keisaburo Koda, President of Amache Consumer Enterprises at the Amache incarceration camp. From Amache Co-op Souvenir Album, page 3. See also sac_jaac_1530 through sac_jaac_1589. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_1535

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-1533/

doc Memo from Victor J. Ryan, Asst. Project Director, Heart Mountain, to Division Heads-Section Heads-Timekeepers, June 10, 1944 (ddr-csujad-55-630)

Memorandum of understanding from Victor Ryan to Division and Section Heads regarding "termination of evacuee workers for cause or disciplinary reasons. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_0632

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-630/

doc Janitor foreman-job order #3-F (ddr-csujad-55-632)

Description of the Janitor position at Heart Mountain incarceration camp outlining number of janitors, locations, duties, and hours. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_0634

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-632/

doc Employee driver's license, Form WRA-22, Masami Iwasa (ddr-csujad-55-162)

Poston employee driver's license authorizing Masami Iwasa to operate a government owned vehicle as part of employment as a Supply and Transportation Officer with the War Relocation Authority. Form WRA-22. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_0164

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-162/

doc Notice from Harry Tateishi, Foreman, Canal Project, to the residents of Heart Mountain, 1943 (ddr-csujad-55-670)

Notice from Harry Tateishi, foreman on Canal Project, to incarcerees at the Heart Mountain incarceration camp regarding a forthcoming agricultural program and irrigation project. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_0672

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-670/

doc Sentinel supplement, series 59 (April 22, 1943) (ddr-csujad-55-1048)

News bulletin for incarcerees covering announcements, events, programs, policies, recreational activities, and jobs at Heart Mountain incarceration camp. Current issue includes information on "cleanup week," holy communion schedule, dry goods sale, a Rho conference, and softball. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_1050

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-1048/

doc Draft letter (ddr-csujad-55-1905)

Handwritten correspondence draft regarding employment at the library, daily life at the incarceration camp, and the "Manzanar section," probably referring to incarcerees from Manzanar who were segregated at Tule Lake. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_1908

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-1905/

doc Sentinel supplement, series 80 (June 3, 1943) (ddr-csujad-55-1061)

News bulletin for incarcerees covering announcements, events, programs, policies, recreational activities, and jobs at Heart Mountain incarceration camp. Current issue includes information on employment opportunities, civil service positions, a university scholarship, memorial services, and volunteer firefighter training. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_1063

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-1061/

img Minidoka Co-op signed cloth (ddr-densho-477-1)

Cream colored cloth banner with a dark blue design. The design on the left commemorates the Minidoka Co-op. The writing in the design reads "Consumers / Co-op / Hunt, Idaho * 1945" in blue. The banner is signed by many people, which some writing in English and some in Japanese.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-477-1/

img Japanese Americans tending crops (ddr-densho-151-36)

Original WRA caption: Manzanar Relocation Center, Manzanar, California. Evacuee in her "hobby garden" which rates highest of all the garden plots at this War Relocation Authority center. Vegetables for their own use are grown in plots 10 x 50 feet between rows of barracks.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-36/

img Japanese Americans making camouflage nets (ddr-densho-151-410)

Original caption: Manzanar Relocation Center, Manzanar, California. Making camouflage nets for the War Department. This is one of several War and Navy Department projects carried on by persons of Japanese ancestry in relocation centers.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-410/

img Japanese Americans working in lath house (ddr-densho-151-386)

Original caption: Manzanar Relocation Center, Manzanar, California. A view of section of the lath house at this War Relocation Authority center where seedling guayule plants are propagated by experienced nurserymen evacuees in the guayule rubber experiment work.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-386/

img Japanese American working in lath house (ddr-densho-151-470)

Original caption: Manzanar Relocation Center, Manzanar, California. An evacuee is shown in the lath house sorting seedlings for tranplanting. These plants are year-old seedlings from the Salinas Experiment Station.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-470/

img Japanese American workers digging a ditch (ddr-densho-151-342)

Original caption: San Bruno, California. Maintenance work, repair and construction is done by volunteer evacuee workers. The wages are $8.00 per month for 48 hours per week. This gang of boys and young men are digging a drainage tank along the front of one of the barracks.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-342/

img Japanese American in field (ddr-densho-151-375)

Original caption: Manzanar Relocation Center, Manzanar, California. Ogura Shuichi, born in Pasadena. He attended Pasadena Junior College and was a visiting student at the California Institute of Technology. He is now working as a plant statistician for the guayule rubber experiment project at this War Relocation Authority center for evacuees of Japanese ancestry.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-375/

img Guayule plants (ddr-densho-151-383)

Original caption: Manzanar Relocation Center, Manzanar, California. View of one of the lath house where seedlings are grown under controlled conditions, for the guyaule rubber experiment project.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-383/

img Japanese Americans clearing land (ddr-densho-151-37)

Original WRA caption: Manzanar Relocation Center, Manzanar, California. More land is being cleared of sage brush at the southern end of the project to enlarge this War Relocation Authority center for evacuees of Japanese ancestry.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-37/