Densho
Site: https://densho.org
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 Densho offers these irreplaceable firsthand accounts, coupled with historical images, historical documents, and teacher resources, to explore principles of democracy and promote equal justice for all.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.
394 Collections
Collection
Mayeno Family Collection (ddr-densho-166)
This collection consists of photographs and documents from the Mayeno family, relatives of the owners of the Maneki Restaurant in Seattle, Washington. The collection contains photographs of the restaurant's Japanese garden prior to World War II, as well as materials from the internment camps in Santa Fe and Lordsburg, New Mexico.
Collection
Kuroishi Family Collection (ddr-densho-167)
The Kuroishi Family Collection features photographs and documents from the family of Iwao Kuroishi, an Issei who was the proprietor of the Chop Suey House restaurant in Los Angeles, California, prior to World War II. The collection includes photographs from the Rohwer concentration camp, Arkansas, and documents relating to the family's resettlement to Omaha, Nebraska, after …
Collection
Helen Amerman Manning Collection (ddr-densho-171)
This collection contains documents donated to Densho by Helen Amerman Manning, a high school teacher at the Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho, during World War II. The collection includes several publications by the War Relocation Authority.
Collection
Kobayashi Collection (ddr-densho-173)
This collection contains two documents from Densho narrator Thomas Kobayashi. He served with the Military Intelligence Service during World War II, and the documents are from the Military Intelligence Service Language School at Camp Savage, Minnesota.
Collection
Horiuchi Collection (ddr-densho-174)
The Horiuchi Collection contains family photos belonging to Densho narrator Bernadette Suda Horiuchi. The photographs chronicle her life in pre-World War II Seattle to her marriage to artist Paul Horiuchi and life in Wyoming.
Collection
Davis Collection (ddr-densho-175)
The Davis collection contains several items related to the Rohwer camp high school. Ellene Wilson Cooper was a schoolteacher at Rohwer during World War II. While there, she met and married Samuel Leo Davis, Sr. Their son, Samuel Leo Davis, Jr., saved these items over the years.
Collection
Nakano Collection (ddr-densho-177)
The Nakano collection consists of several photographs belonging to Densho narrator James Nakano. Originally born in Hawaii, Mr. Nakano was removed to the mainland U.S. during World War II. The photographs in this collection were taken at the Tule Lake concentration camp, California.
Collection
Tokunaga Collection (ddr-densho-178)
This collection features photographs belonging to Densho narrator Tosh Tokunaga, who was interviewed in 2009. The photos depict the lumber mill at Selleck, Washington, where many Japanese Americans were employed prior to World War II.
Collection
Akira Nakamura Family Collection (ddr-densho-179)
This collection contains photographs and documents belonging to Mr. Akira Nakamura, who served in the U.S. Military Intelligence Service during World War II. In 1945, he was selected to serve in Okinawa interrogating Japanese prisoners of war. The collection includes photographs of Okinawan civilians and U.S. soldiers. Also included are drawings and calligraphy given to Mr. …
Collection
Kimi Yamada Yanari Family Collection (ddr-densho-180)
This collection consists of documents compiled by Kimi Yamada, who was incarcerated at the Stockton Assembly Center, California, in 1942. The documents are all typed copies of essays written by detainees at Stockton.
Collection
Takeo Tsuji Family Collection (ddr-densho-181)
This collection is comprised of documents from the personal collection of Takeo Tsuji, who was held in the Tule Lake concentration camp, California, during World War II. Many of the documents are related to Mr. Tsuji's efforts to have his belongings restored to him after the war.
Collection
Ouchi Family Collection (ddr-densho-182)
The Ouchi Family Collection is comprised of photographs belonging to the Ouchi and Mimbu families. Many of the photos depict Issei hiking on Mt. Rainier in Washington state prior to World War II. There are also many images of prewar family outings and community gatherings.
Collection
Kenji Harada Collection (ddr-densho-184)
The Kenji Harada Collection consists of letters written by Kenji Harada, a Nisei incarcerated in the Poston concentration camp, Arizona, during World War II. The letters are written to his friend Dave Stickler and his mother Miriam Stickler in Carmichael, California near Sacramento where he resided before the war. Kenji Harada contracted pneumonia while in Poston, …
Collection
Yabu Family Collection (ddr-densho-185)
This collection contains family photographs from the collection of Densho narrator Shig Yabu.
Collection
Clarice Osterud Hargiss Collection (ddr-densho-186)
This collection consists of letters written to Clarice Osterud Hargiss, a student at the University of Washington during World War II. The letters were written by two Nisei friends, one in the Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho, and the other at the Tule Lake concentration camp, California.
Collection
Arikawa Family Collection (ddr-densho-187)
The Arikawa collection consists primarily of photographs taken at the Jerome concentration camp, Arkansas, along with some family photographs.
Collection
Yamanaka Collection (ddr-densho-188)
This collection contains documents and photographs from Densho narrator K. Morgan Yamanaka. The documents include letters and papers regarding Tule Lake, California, during the time it was designated a segregation center, including documents about the Tule Lake stockade and renunication of citizenship.
Collection
Arbo-Gram Collection (ddr-densho-189)
This collection consists of issues of the Arbo-Gram, which was the newspaper for the Marysville Assembly Center, California, open from May 8, 1942, to June 29, 1942. The newspaper provided information about activities and sports, living conditions, and the move to permanent camps.
Collection
Fresno Grapevine Collection (ddr-densho-190)
This collection consists of issues of the Fresno Grapevine, which was the newspaper for the Fresno Assembly Center, California, open from May 8, 1942, to June 29, 1942. The newspaper provided information about activities and sports, living conditions, and the move to permanent camps.
Collection
Mercedian Collection (ddr-densho-191)
This collection consists of issues of the Mercedian, which was the newspaper for the Merced Assembly Center, California, open from May 6, 1942, to September 15, 1942. The newspaper provided information about activities and sports, living conditions, and the move to permanent camps.
Collection
Pinedale Logger Collection (ddr-densho-192)
This collection consists of issues of the Pinedale Logger, which was the newspaper for the Pinedale Assembly Center, California, open from May 7, 1942, to July 23, 1942. The newspaper provided information about activities and sports, living conditions, and the move to permanent camps.
Collection
Pomona Center News Collection (ddr-densho-193)
This collection consists of issues of the Pomona Center News, which was the newspaper for the Pomona Assembly Center, California, open from May 7, 1942, to August 24, 1942. The newspaper provided information about activities and sports, living conditions, and the move to permanent camps.
Collection
Puyallup Camp Harmony News-Letter Collection (ddr-densho-194)
This collection consists of issues of the Puyallup Camp Harmony News-Letter, which was the newspaper for the Puyallup Assembly Center, Washington, open from April 28, 1942, to September 12, 1942. The newspaper provided information about activities and sports, living conditions, and the move to permanent camps.
Collection
Salinas Village Crier Collection (ddr-densho-195)
This collection consists of issues of the Salinas Village Crier, which was the newspaper for the Salinas Assembly Center, California, open from April 27, 1942, to July 4, 1942. The newspaper provided information about activities and sports, living conditions, and the move to permanent camps.
Collection
Stockton El Joaquin Collection (ddr-densho-196)
This collection consists of issues of the Stockton El Joaquin, which was the newspaper for the Stockton Assembly Center, California, open from May 10, 1942, to October 17, 1942. The newspaper provided information about activities and sports, living conditions, and the move to permanent camps.