Densho

Densho documents the testimonies of Japanese Americans who were unjustly incarcerated during World War II before their memories are extinguished. Densho offers these irreplaceable firsthand accounts, coupled with historical images, historical documents, and teacher resources, to explore principles of democracy and promote equal justice for all.

Densho's collections contain oral histories and primary sources that document the Japanese American experience from immigration starting in the late 1800s through redress in the 1980s, with a strong focus on World War II incarceration. The archives are growing as Densho continues to record oral histories and digitize historical materials.

419 Collections

Collection Arthur Yakabi Collection (ddr-densho-401)

Collection consists of Arthur Yakabi's testimony to the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Citizens and his handwritten autobiography.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-401/

Collection Prichett Family Collection (ddr-densho-402)

Photographs, correspondence, and documents including forms, Cecil F. Prichett's resume, and education and family programs at the Manzanar camp from the Prichett family's time employed at Manzanar. Books include "Death Valley - Its Impounded Americans" by Ralph P. "Pete" Merritt, Jr.; "English Japanese Conversation Dictionary" by Arthur Rose-Innes; "Born Free and Equal" by Ansel Adams; and …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-402/

Collection Archdiocese of Seattle Collection (ddr-densho-403)

The Catholic Archdiocese of Seattle Archives focuses on Our Lady Queen of Martyrs parish, a Japanese-Filipino national parish in Seattle administered by the Maryknoll Sisters and Fathers from 1925-1953. The collection primarily documents parish and school buildings before the removal and incarceration of the parish’s Japanese parishioners. The records also include a photo of the Kinoshita …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-403/

Collection Tagami Family Collection (ddr-densho-404)

The Tagami Family Collection consists of materials related to Tokeo "Toke" T. Tagami's travels between the United States and Japan, his travels across the United States, and his time in the Military Intelligence Service.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-404/

Collection Coram Nobis Litigation Collection (ddr-densho-405)

The Coram Nobis Litigation Collection contains documents related to the reconsideration of three cases of Japanese Americans who challenged the exclusion orders or curfew that reached the Supreme Court in the 1940s: Fred Korematsu, Gordon Hirabayashi, and Min Yasui.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-405/

Collection Uchiyama Collection (ddr-densho-406)

200 letters written to Kathleen Koga Uchiyama from Alvin Uchiyama while awaiting deployment, and during his military service in Italy in 1944-1945. Also six letters from Kathleen to Alvin written from Highland Park, Illinois, Heart Mountain camp and after the camp closed from Mt. View California.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-406/

Collection The North American Times Yearbook, 1936 Edition (ddr-densho-407)

The North American Time Yearbooks contain information and photos of local Pacific Northwest businesses and families, as well as articles related to the Japanese community in the Northwest.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-407/

Collection George L. Townsend Papers (ddr-densho-408)

Correspondence, writings and photos from George Townsend related to Townsend's time working for the WRA at Minidoka.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-408/

Collection Morita Cole Family Collection (ddr-densho-409)

Photos of the Morita family on their property in Oregon prior to incarceration at Minidoka and after the war in Chicago.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-409/

Collection Henri and Tomoye (Nozawa) Takahashi Personal Papers, 1932-1946 (ddr-densho-410)

The Henri and Tomoye Takahashi Personal Papers, 1932-1946 is comprised of letters, documents and photos of Henri Takahashi and Tomoye (Nozawa) Takahashi during their years in college in California, marriage in 1941 and incarceration and birth of their two children until their return to San Francisco. Included are correspondence with Tomoye's sister Martha and father Tomoyuki …

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

Collection Rikita Honda Collection (ddr-densho-411)

Collection of family photographs of Rikita Honda and his family and a FBI memo regarding the arrest of Rikita Honda following the bombing of Pearl Harbor.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-411/

Collection Masao Roy Hayashi Family Collection (ddr-densho-412)

Collection contains one Hayashi family photo, Masao's senior yearbook from Poston's high school, and a letter from his brother in the army to his sister in camp.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-412/

Collection Minidoka Interlude Collection (ddr-densho-413)

1942-1943 edition of the Minidoka Interlude

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-413/

Collection George Sunada Collection (ddr-densho-415)

Collection of George Sunada's military service and redress appeal.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-415/

Collection Miyagi Family Collection (ddr-densho-416)

A collection of personal documents and photographs of the Miyagi family's experience in the Poston Assembly Center. Postcards were written in 1942 to Yuhachi Miyagi from his daughters. Letters from William Miyagi in the European Theater to his sister Takeko Miyagi in Poston. One letter from Gonkichi Nakamura to Clarence R. Walter. Photographs of Donald Miyagi …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-416/

Collection Min Yasui Collection (ddr-densho-419)

The Min Yasui Collection consists of four poems written my Min Yasui between 1942 and 1945. In these pieces, Yasui reflects on war and the treatment of the Japanese American community as they were forcibly removed from the West Coast.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-419/

Collection Bob and Masa (Ogawa) Nakayama Collection (ddr-densho-420)

The Bob and Masa (Ogawa) Nakayama Collection consists of 43 photographic prints and a graduation announcement documenting Bob and Masa's experiences during World War II. Included are scenes from life in Manzanar and Minidoka concentration camps, as well as from military life both in the United States and abroad.

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

Collection Henri and Tomoye (Nozawa) Takahashi Family Papers, 1946-2002 (ddr-densho-422)

The Henri and Tomoye (Nozawa) Takahashi Personal Papers - 1946-2002 collections contains correspondence, documents and photos related to the Takahashi families return to San Francisco after incarceration at Topaz camp, the development of Takahashi Imports and Takahashi Trading Company, Includes correspondence and documents relating to Henri Takahashi death in 2002, charitable work by the Takahashi Company …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-422/

Collection Nozawa Family Papers (ddr-densho-423)

The Nozawa Family Collection contains correspondence, documents and photos from the Tomoyuki Nozawa family, including material related to the family business, the Starlight Laundry in San Francisco, correspondence between Tomoye (Nozawa) Takahashi and Martha (Nozawa) Tsuchida Suzuki. The collection includes photos and correspondence from Martha (Nozawa) Tsuchida from her time living in Europe with her husband …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-423/

Collection Takahashi Trading Company (ddr-densho-424)

Correspondence and miscellaneous documents related to the establishment and running of Takahashi Imports, and Takahashi Trading Company in San Francisco. Including details of buying trips to Japan, marketing, advertising, trade shows and employees.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-424/

Collection Henri and Tomoye (Nozawa) Takahashi Photograph Collection (ddr-densho-426)

Photographs and negatives spanning the family life, travel and businesses of the Takahashi Family, and of the Nozawa family and laundry business.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-426/

Collection Nomura Family Collection (ddr-densho-427)

The Nomura Family Collection consists of 8 photographs of a tailoring program inside Poston.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-427/

Collection Arai and Kawaguchi Family Collection (ddr-densho-430)

The collection contains materials (photos, documents, journals, and ephemera) related to the Arai and Kawaguchi families, including documents related to the family's incarceration at Minidoka and relocation. Particularly, the life and work of architect Allen Kichio Arai, who designed the Seattle Betsuin Buddhist Temple in 1940, including blueprints and design notes for the project.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-430/

Collection Densho eNews Collection (ddr-densho-431)

The Densho eNews Collection contains all editions of the monthly Densho eNews, starting from its beginning in 2006 until the present.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-431/

Collection Tsutomu and Ruth (Yamada) Matsumoto Collection (ddr-densho-432)

The Tsutomu and Ruth (Yamada) Matsumoto Collection contains letters written between Ruth Yamada Matsumoto and Matsuye Koike when they were in Santa Anita Assembly Center, Rohwer concentration camp, Fort Bismarck and Fort Missoula. There are also two of Ruth's photograph albums that record life in Japan and the United States.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-432/