Emi Somekawa Interview Segment 1

Mother's family background (ddr-densho-1000-378-1) - 00:06:07
Father's family background (ddr-densho-1000-378-2) - 00:04:13
Parents' meeting and early life in the U.S. (ddr-densho-1000-378-3) - 00:06:55
Description of siblings (ddr-densho-1000-378-4) - 00:01:39
Helping out on family's farm (ddr-densho-1000-378-5) - 00:07:25
Description of father (ddr-densho-1000-378-6) - 00:05:21
Learning Japanese before English as a child (ddr-densho-1000-378-7) - 00:01:50
Exposure to people of different ethnic backgrounds (ddr-densho-1000-378-8) - 00:08:38
Participating in Japanese community events (ddr-densho-1000-378-9) - 00:06:24
Prewar recreational activities (ddr-densho-1000-378-10) - 00:04:39
Choosing to go into nurses training (ddr-densho-1000-378-11) - 00:07:03
Encountering prejudice as a student nurse (ddr-densho-1000-378-12) - 00:04:36
Meeting future husband (ddr-densho-1000-378-13) - 00:08:47
Hearing about the bombing of Pearl Harbor: "That was horrible." (ddr-densho-1000-378-14) - 00:04:55
Preparing for mass removal (ddr-densho-1000-378-15) - 00:04:06
Having a child in camp (ddr-densho-1000-378-16) - 00:09:15
Transferring to Tule Lake (ddr-densho-1000-378-17) - 00:03:22
First impressions of camp (ddr-densho-1000-378-18) - 00:04:18
Being recruited to work in the camp's hospital: witnessing medical mistakes due to inexperienced staff (ddr-densho-1000-378-19) - 00:07:19
Coping with inadequate medical facilities in camp (ddr-densho-1000-378-20) - 00:05:44
A difficult incident on the bus ride to Minidoka (ddr-densho-1000-378-21) - 00:05:23
Leaving camp and becoming a nurse at a farm labor camp (ddr-densho-1000-378-22) - 00:06:24
Parents work to reestablish lives after the war (ddr-densho-1000-378-23) - 00:05:16
Returning to former nursing job after the war (ddr-densho-1000-378-24) - 00:04:34
Reflections (ddr-densho-1000-378-25) - 00:05:38
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ddr-densho-1000-378-1 (Legacy UID: denshovh-semi-01-0001)

Mother's family background

This material is based upon work assisted by a grant from the Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Any opinions, finding, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of the Interior.

00:06:07 — Segment 1 of 25

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November 21, 2011

Densho Visual History Collection

Densho

Courtesy of Densho

ddr-densho-1000-378

Emi Somekawa

Emi Somekawa Interview

02:19:51 — 25 segments

November 21, 2011

Seattle, Washington

Nisei female. Born May 10, 1918, in Portland, Oregon. Grew up in the small town of Brooks, Oregon, where parents ran a farm. Prior to World War II, became a nurse, married, and had a child. During World War II, removed to the Portland Assembly Center, Oregon, and the Tule Lake concentration camp, California, and worked in the camp's hospital. Transferred for one year to the Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho. After the war, eventually returned to Portland and resumed nursing career.

(This material is based upon work assisted by a grant from the Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Any opinions, finding, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of the Interior.)

Tom Ikeda, interviewer; Dana Hoshide, videographer

Densho

Courtesy of Densho

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