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 South Dakota ship model stern (ddr-densho-37-1368)

Included annotation: X-306, completed South Dakota, View From Stern.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-37-1368/

img Japanese Americans harvesting spinach (ddr-densho-37-779)

Original WRA caption: Granada Relocation Center, Amache, Colorado. Harvesting the first spinach from the project farm.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-37-779/

img Bystanders at a Gila River fire (ddr-densho-37-2144)

Written on back: Gila River Fire - Camp #1, Mar-5 1944.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-37-2144/

img Camp farm workers having lunch (ddr-densho-37-368)

Original WRA caption: Tule Lake Relocation Center, Newell, California. A view in the lunch shed at the farm. Trucks from the kitchens bring hot lunches to the workers.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-37-368/

img View of a co-op office (ddr-densho-37-872)

Included annotation: B-2, Coop Office.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-37-872/

img Man working on a model ship (ddr-densho-37-1243)

Included annotation: V-206.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-37-1243/

img Hog farm (ddr-densho-37-139)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-37-139/

img Fire station (ddr-densho-37-35)

Each camp had its own fire station staffed by volunteers.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-37-35/

img Mary Matsuzawa as reports officer (ddr-densho-37-1387)

Included annotation: E-501, Mary Matsuzawa as Reports Officer N.Y.W. 5/2/44.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-37-1387/

img News Courier staff (ddr-densho-37-1542)

Included annotation: G-607, News Courier staff, 6/22/44.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-37-1542/

img Carrot field (ddr-densho-37-138)

Original WRA caption: Katsugoro Kawase's carrot field at Tule Lake Farm 1944 which ran approximately twenty-two (22) tons to an acre.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-37-138/

img Japanese Americans sorting mail (ddr-densho-37-113)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-37-113/

img Inspection of farm machinery (ddr-densho-37-598)

Original WRA caption: Gila River Relocation Center, Rivers, Arizona. Property officer checking farm machinery prior to disposal to the Treasury Department. On September 15, two weeks before the Canal Camp at Rivers, Arizona, was to close, only 635 people remained and 370 of these had bus or train reservations for the following week (the Canal Camp …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-37-598/

img Workers at a co-op office (ddr-densho-37-873)

Included annotation: B-3, Coop Office.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-37-873/

img Mr. Tutte and others picking cotton (ddr-densho-37-952)

Included annotation: S-3, Mr. Tuttle picking cotton.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-37-952/

img Cotton pickers arrival (ddr-densho-37-950)

Included annotation: S-2, Pickers arrival.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-37-950/

img Unloading freight at camp warehouse (ddr-densho-37-122)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-37-122/

img Coal crew (ddr-densho-37-700)

Original WRA caption: Half of special coal crew which trucked --- tons of coal five miles from Hunt siding to Minidoka Relocation Center in --- months. One crew worked nights and the other days.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-37-700/

img Mr. Martin holds a model hull (ddr-densho-37-1354)

Included annotation: T-304, Battleship and Mr. Martin showing another hull.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-37-1354/

img Workers harvest strawberries (ddr-densho-37-1399)

Included annotation: G-503, Strawberry Ranch.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-37-1399/

img Japanese American farmer (ddr-densho-37-378)

Original WRA caption: Tule Lake Relocation Center, Newell, California. Project farmer with carrots.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-37-378/

img Japanese Americans making tofu (ddr-densho-37-153)

Original WRA caption: Note: The markings on the blackboard, upper right, show the Japanese way of counting in fives to show number of buckets of beans processed. The bucket on the lower right contains soy beans which are soaked over night and then poured into this centrifugal "masher" which revolves at comparatively high speed. The white, …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-37-153/